Shadowchasers: Torment
by Cyber Commander
Summary: The final chapter. The Toment has reached the final stage.
1. Dark Beginnings The Mysterious Duelist

Happy New Year. And welcome to "Shadowchasers: Torment".

Only a few things to say before we start. This fic takes place shortly after the beginning of Season 2 of the anime, in a modernized city. Thus, for Turbo Duels, "Speed World 2" is the medium used. I will try hard not to break my own rule and use its burn effect to decide any outcomes.

This fic has nothing to do with the Shadowchasers in Neo Domino. This is still the same continuity, and they might be referenced, but they are a world away. This is a whole new ball game.

Finally, I ask you to look at the rating I gave this fic before you start to read. Also note the genre I marked it as. As you can see, this is completely new territory for me. This fic will be a much darker tone than anything I have ever done. The lines between Good and Evil will be quite clear at times, but not nearly as clear at other times. And in order for there to truly be a happy ending, more must be done than for Good to defeat Evil.

For all Shadowchasers authors, my Shadowchasers Guidelines have been updated since "Power Primordial" ended. If you haven't already, e-mail me to give them a looksee.

On that note... Enjoy.

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_As leader of Shadowchasers, many people, humans and Shadows alike, have often asked me why we are needed. Well, let me put it simple._

_One way to describe the Shadowkind community on Earth is to compare it to the Old West. A Shadowkind's loyalties rarely extend outside his species, or even outside his clan. Shadows are not humans, and their relations between each other aren't as stable. This is even true for Shadows who have, in the past, allied with humans, like elves and dwarves. Like in the Old West, structure is needed to prevent it from becoming a lawless anarchy. Without the structure, it would be just like the West at its wildest, with the dark elves robbing the bank, the ophidia rustling cattle, and lunatics like the Sons of Tyranny shooting at anything that moved._

_In this Old West mentality, there have to be some folks who wear white hats. That's where the Shadowchasers come in. We negotiated the drafting of the Great Treaty that established order in this hidden world, and we were put in charge of enforcing it. _

_But it's still an Old West mentality for the most part. And in such places, there exist lone wolves… Some have hidden agendas, while others are obsessed by simple goals._

_I once knew one Shadowkind whose goal couldn't be simpler…_

_He wanted to know who he was..._

_He wanted to know his past..._

_And above all, he wanted to know the truth..._

_And sure as Heaven, no-one was going to keep him from getting what he wanted!_

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**SHADOWCHASERS**

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**Torment**

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**A Fanfic by Cyber Commander**

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**DUEL ONE**

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**Dark Beginnings**

**The Mysterious Duelist**

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Our story begins in the south side of Chicago. As the song by Jim Croce went, it was the baddest part of town...

The Dr. Kevin Smalls Memorial Hospital was relatively new, as far as hospitals went. Dr. Smalls had been Shadow-Touched – a half-elf to be precise – but whether or not that had anything to do with what was about to happen here, it was impossible to tell.

Most of a hospital is devoted to healing the sick and injured. But a small building separated from the main complex contained subjects who could not be healed. This building was the hospital's morgue. This was where the dead were stored, and where the doctors studied the remains via autopsy... It was a quiet, cold place, and the staff was a morose lot.

An orderly walked through one of the rooms and saw a new arrival lying on a gurney. She sighed, and shook her head. It was always a shame when someone so young was brought in here...

But while she saw a young, Caucasian man, muscular with brunette hair, neatly cut, the eyes of an Aware would have seen differently...

They would have seen that his skin was olive-green, his hair raven-black, and his ears pointed and long, even more so than the typical elf.

If she had stayed in that room a half-minute longer, she would have gotten quite a shock. As soon as she left, his hand moved. Then his eyes opened.

He was alive. He slowly sat up, holding his head as if it was pounding from some splitting headache.

_Where am I? _he thought. _How did I get here?_

He slowly pulled himself off the gurney. His clothes consisted of an old sweatshirt, a pair of jeans, and a pair of battered and worn sneakers. There was no sign of any wound or injury on his body... No clue as to how he had ended up in a morgue.

_Who am I? _he thought.

The realization had hit him hard. He had no idea who he was.

He looked at his arm. Then at his chest. He checked his pockets, but found no wallet, nothing with any sort of ID.

He had to get out of here...

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Ten minutes later, the stranger was wandering down the streets of the South Side. The morgue had been easy to sneak out of. No-one ever expects anyone inside a morgue to sneak out, so not much effort is put into preventing it.

He had almost considered going into the hospital proper to get help, but then he wondered if he was a criminal. If so, would they turn him in to whatever constabulary was in charge of this city? He didn't know where he was... Could he even trust the police here?

Listening to the conversations from some passers-by, he seemed to recognize the language. But he still needed to find help. He had no money, and no-one to turn to.

He couldn't remember much, but he seemed to remember a few things about being lost. He remembered something he had once heard... About when you're lost, the best thing to do is to stay in one place, and let the people looking for you find you. But he really didn't know if anyone _was _looking for him.

Another thing he seemed to remember was, if you search long enough for a solution, one will present itself. Maybe one would.

At that moment, he noticed his left arm. Something was on it.

_A Duel Disk? _he thought, looking at the device. _When did I get this?_

Then he heard a scream. A woman's scream. It came from a parking lot up ahead.

The stranger instinctively ran in that direction. For some reason, he couldn't ignore a cry for help.

In the middle of the parking lot, two young toughs were manhandling a young woman, who was clearly very frightened.

At least that's what Mundane viewers would see. Awares would see that the woman was a nymph, and the young toughs were satyrs, evidenced from their goat-like legs and curved horns on their temples.

Satyrs were degenerate fey who viewed life as one big party. They became rowdy and dangerous when they were drunk, especially towards nymphs, a favorite target for their lust. Most nymphs were able to outrun them... This one, apparently, hadn't been so lucky.

"Please... no..." she begged.

"S'okay," chuckled one of them. "We can be gentle..."

"Not likely!" said the stranger, running up to them.

"Eh?" said one of the satyrs.

"I suggest you two let the young lady go right now," he said.

The two satyrs looked at him and chuckled even more. One of them took the nymph in both hands.

"You gotta be kidding..." said the other.

He rushed up to the stranger and aimed a punch at his face...

...only to receive one that knocked him against the car behind him.

"Lou... He's not kidding..." he groaned, rubbing his jaw.

"Let her go, Lou," said the stranger.

"Stay right where you are, fellah," said Lou.

He held a switchblade to the poor girl's neck and snapped it open, and she squeaked in fear.

"Come one step closer and I'll..."

"Look fellah, you're drunk," said the stranger. "You'll regret all this when you sober up."

"I just had a few beers..." said Lou.

"A few?" said the stranger. "The two of you smell like a brewery!"

"Don't say that!" shouted the other satyr. "Our mom said that to our dad all the time! He'd come home, too drunk to stand up straight, and she'd say, 'Bill, you smell like a brewery!' One time he got so sick of it...

"Heh, heh... He smacked her across the face..."

"And you clowns think that's funny?" asked the stranger. "You're more screwed-up than I thought..."

"Lou, maybe we _should _just let her go..." said the one who had just spoken. "We just got out of jail, after all... Do you realize how long the Shadowchasers will put us back in for number two?"

_Shadowchasers? _thought the stranger._ Who the heck are they?_

Lou looked at his brother.

"Whose idea was this, Gus?" he asked.

Then he looked at the stranger.

"I see you have a Duel Disk?"

"Uh..." said the stranger.

He looked at the Disk, and noticed that it now had a deck of cards in the holder.

Lou took something out of his pocket. It was a pair of handcuffs.

He quickly used them to cuff the poor girl's hands together behind her back.

"Sit!" he ordered.

She did so, still sobbing. It was at this point that the stranger noticed that Lou had a Duel Disk of his own.

"Here's the deal, Good Samaritan," said Lou. "If you're so intent on showing us the error of our ways, duel me. You win, we'll let her go. I win, you walk quietly away."

The stranger looked at the Duel Disk.

_I hope this thing came with a decent deck, _he thought.

He lifted his right arm, and the Disk activated.

"Very well..." he said. "I accept!"

Lou chuckled, and activated his own Disk.

**(Stranger: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Lou: 8,000)**

"If you don't mind, I'll start this off," said Lou.

He made his first draw.

"In fact, even if you do mind..."

He chose one of his cards.

"Meet my Drunken Tiger!"

There was a loud belch, and a Monster appeared in front of him that matched its name perfectly. It was a humanoid tiger, dressed in a tank top, shorts, and a pair of stylish sunglasses. It held a sake bottle in one hand, and had clearly drunken most of it. It bobbed and weaved, as if badly inebriated. (1,800 ATK)

_Okay... _thought the stranger. _That's... original..._

"Continuing," said Lou, "I'll set a facedown, and then play two Continuous Spell Cards called One More Sake."

A reversed card appeared, followed by two Spell Cards. The two Spell Cards dissolved, turning into two sake bottles.

"Okay, let's see what you've got."

The stranger made a draw.

He set one card on his Disk, and a reversed Monster appeared.

He nodded.

"Think I'm afraid of that?" laughed Lou, as he made a draw. "This may be a bad time to mention this, but my Drunken Tiger's effect negates the effect of all reversed Monsters that it battles.

"Drunken Tiger, attack! Barroom brawl bash!"

The tipsy Beast lunged at the facedown card...

...but its fist ran smack into a solid mechanical creature that seemed to be made of gold with gems inlaid in its plating, with two large hands. (2,200 DEF)

Drunken Tiger shook its hand and grunted in pain.

"That may be true," said the stranger, "but Mind Protector is still too tough for it."

"All right, you win round one," said Lou.

He set a card on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared next to Drunken Tiger.

"I'll leave off with that."

**(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,600)**

The stranger drew the next card off his deck.

"I pay 500 Life Points to keep Mind Protector in play," he said, "then I summon Krebons to the field!"

There was a weird cackle, and an equally weird Monster appeared in an aura of binary symbols. A strange-looking jester with clothing covered with circuitry and geometric shapes surrounding it, its limbs were not actually connected to its torso. Its eyes were actually the mathematical symbols for "greater than/less than or equal to". (1,200 ATK)

"And since this guy is a Tuner," continued the stranger, "I can Tune it with my Mind Protector to summon a Psychic Monster that's even stronger!"

The two Psychics transformed into five glowing stars that flew into the sky.

"No way..." muttered Gus. "A Synchro Summon?"

The stranger chanted:

"_Power of the mind, essence of the heart, reborn in a body that can harness the radiance of absolute light…"_

**(*2 + *3 = *5)**

"_Synchro Summon... Magical Android!"_

In an aura of light, a female figure dressed in rainbow-colored armor appeared in front of him. She held a shield shaped like a spiral in her left-hand, and an oddly-shaped staff in her right. Odd circuitry was on her cheeks and forehead, and her long, chestnut-brown hair protruded under her helmet down to her waist. (2,400 ATK)

"Whoa..." said Lou. "She's hot..."

"Yeah?" said the stranger. "Well, she's a woman who can fight back, unlike most of the females you're used to..."

Magical Android pointed her staff at Drunken Tiger. It trembled a little...

"I've got a Trap!" shouted Lou, as his facedown card lifted up. "Malevolent Catastrophe!

"Since you declared an attack, my two sake bottles are destroyed, and you lose 500 points for each one!"

The two bottles flew at the stranger, and smashed against his face as he tried to shield himself.

"It's still all over for your Tiger!" he replied. "Attack! Pyrokinetic blast!"

Magical Android shot three balls of fire at the Beast, and it burst into an explosion of pixels.

"Ergh…" groaned Lou.

"I'll set these, and end my turn," said the stranger, as two facedown cards appeared in two flashes of light. "That means that Magical Android's effect kicks in, and I gain 600 Life Points for each Psychic Monster I have."

He closed his eyes, and a golden aura surrounded him.

**(S: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,000)**

"Come on, Lou, he's making a fool of you!" said Gus.

"Don't panic," said Lou, drawing a card. "I'm completely sober now..."

He played it.

"I'm just mad. I play my Akashic Record Spell Card. I get to draw two cards, but, if either one has been used previously, I lose both of them."

He made two draws.

"Sweet..." he said, as he looked at them.

He held them forward, to show that, clearly, both had not been used.

"My set Monster flips into Attack Mode..." he said. "Meet Champagne, the Foaming Beauty!"

The facedown card flipped up, revealing a scantily-clad woman, whose dress seemed to consist of a toga that had been made into a brief bikini top and breechcloth, along with a good deal of gold jewelry. Her blonde hair was bushy and full. (1,200 ATK)

"I don't get to drink champagne often," he continued. "Too expensive. But I know that it can be more debilitating than beer if you drink too much, as your Magical Android is about to find out."

A wave of energy drifted from the Beauty towards Magical Android, and the Psychic held her stomach. (1,400 ATK)

"Next," said Lou, "I'll play Fiend's Sanctuary."

He played a Spell Card, and a grim gargoyle appeared behind him. As it receded, a small metal stickman rose next to Champagne. (0 ATK)

"Now I have a Metal Fiend Token. Then I can sacrifice both of them..."

Champagne and the Token dissolved into a cloud of pixels.

"...for my ultimate creature!" he exclaimed. "I summon Big Vintage Magnum Mutton!"

There was a roar, and a huge Beast appeared where the two Monsters had been. It was a shaggy dog twice the size of an ox, with big claws and teeth, and a harness mounted on its back holding two cannons shaped like wine bottles. (2,500 ATK)

_Not good... _thought the stranger.

"Attack!" shouted Lou. "Demolish that Magical Android!"

Big Vintage roared, and wine shot from its two cannons like high-pressure hoses, soaking Magical Android. She grunted, and then shattered. Lou's prisoner closed her eyes and started to cry even more.

**(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,000)**

"Oh, you liked that?" he said. "Well, I'm not done... First, I play Mist Body... And I Equip it to Big Vintage Magnum Mutton."

He played the Equip Spell, and the huge Beast was shrouded in an aura of soft light.

"It makes my Monster unbeatable in battle. Next, this little Spell Card..."

He played the last card in his hand.

"Bacchus's Compotation."

He played the card, and the scenery around them changed, turning the parking lot into a Greek ruins.

"I'll end my turn there..."

Ben made a draw and looked at it.

"All right, fellah," he said. "I play the Continuous Spell, Teleport."

The Spell Card appeared on the field in front of him.

"With this in play, if I control no Monsters, I can drop 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Psychic from my hand. So I'll do that to bring out Power Injector."

In another aura of energy, a new Psychic materialized. It looked like Frankenstein's Monster, complete with neck bolts, wearing a blue jacket and pants, with odd contraptions in place of its hands that looked like tanks of liquid. (1,300 ATK)

"Heh, heh..." said Lou. "That guy looks like he fell off the ugly tree and hit every ugly branch on the way down!"

"Not done," said the stranger, as he played another Spell. "I play Awakening From Beyond. First, you draw twice..."

"My pleasure!" laughed Lou, making two draws.

"But..." continued the stranger, "in return for that, I get to recover a Monster from my Graveyard..."

Krebons slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

He quickly played the card, and he summoned it again. (1,200 ATK)

"Eh... Him again..." said Lou.

"Which means," said the stranger, "I can use it and Power Injector for an even stronger Synchro Summoning."

Krebons and Power Injector turned into six glowing stars this time. They flew towards the sky again. The stranger chanted again:

"_Power unleashed by the darkest human emotion, left unchecked by blissful sleep. Take corporeal form and wreak havoc on the world!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon... Psychic Nightmare!"_

In an aura of lightning, a new Psychic landed in front of him. It looked more like a Fiend than a Psychic, having all the demonic traits... Wings, horns, tusks, claws, metallic skin, and a long tail. Not to mention that it had an uncanny aura around it that filled the whole place with a feeling of dread. (2,400 ATK)

"Your Monster truly IS a nightmare," said Lou. "But even if my Monster didn't have Mist Body, that thing would be too weak to destroy it."

"Depends," said the stranger. "I'm using its effect. I get to pick one card in your hand, and try to guess what type of card it is."

Lou looked at the two cards in his hand.

"If I'm right," continued the stranger, "Psychic Nightmare gains a thousand Attack Points until your next End Phase.

"Now, let's see... I believe... That the card on the right is a Spell Card."

Lou frowned. He flipped it around, and it was Nobleman of Crossout.

Lightning coursed around Psychic Nightmare. (3,400 ATK)

"Your Monster may have Mist Body," said the stranger, "but you'll still take damage from this!"

Psychic Nightmare flew at the huge canine...

But when its claw struck, the stranger held his chest in pain.

**(S: 4,300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,000)**

"Why did MY Life Points go down?" he exclaimed.

Lou chuckled.

"Didn't you think this Compotation card did anything?" he asked. "Your Nightmare is lower than Level 8, and if you attack with a Monster that isn't at least that Level while this card is in play, all Battle Damage is taken by you. Sorry about that..."

The stranger sighed.

"I end my turn," he said.

Lou made a draw.

"And during my Standby Phase," he said, "my Monster's effect goes into... effect. You see, just like fine wine, it gets more potent as it ages!"

(3,500 ATK)

"Attack that Nightmare!"

Big Vintage Magnum Mutton blasted its cannons again, and Psychic Nightmare was blown to pieces.

"Having this duel was an excellent idea..." chuckled Lou.

He reached down and caressed his prisoner's hair.

"My dad may have been a bum, but he always did say that anything worth having is worth fighting for..."

The stranger looked at him.

This satyr was scum... But something about what he had just said struck a nerve in him...

**(S: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,000)**

"I draw!" said the stranger.

He drew a card.

Then one of his facedown cards lifted up.

"I activate the Trap Card, Psychic Overload. I take three Psychics from my Graveyard..."

He took Krebons, Magical Android, and Psychic Nightmare from his discard slot.

"...then reshuffle them into my deck..."

His Duel Disk auto-shuffled his deck.

"...and then make two draws..."

He drew two cards.

He smirked.

"Bad news, Lou..." he said.

"And just how are you going to defeat my Beast?" asked Lou.

"Actually, I'm not going to," said the stranger. "First, I'm going to pay 800 Life Points to use Teleport again, and Special Summon Storm Caller."

There was a gust of wind, and a new Psychic appeared in front of him. It was short and squat, wearing grey armor, with a satellite dish mounted on its back. (2,300 ATK)

"Next, Call of the Haunted," he said, as his other facedown card lifted up.

Mind Protector appeared again. (0 ATK)

"Then, I summon Psychic Jumper!"

He played the card, and a thin to the point of being gaunt creature appeared next to the other two Psychics. He had sickly white skin, and wore an overcoat with circuitry symbols on it, along with leather pants and sunglasses. (100 ATK)

"Psychic Jumper?" asked Lou. "That guy doesn't look healthy enough to jump over a croquet wicket!"

"Maybe not, but Psychic Jumper has a powerful effect," said the stranger. "By paying 1,000 of my Life Points, I can enact an effect similar to Creature Swap, giving you one of my Psychics, other than Jumper, and taking one of your Monsters."

"Wait..." said Lou.

"No waiting," said the stranger. "Hand it over."

Psychic Jumper's eyes glowed with red light, and then Mind Protector and Big Vintage Magnum Mutton switched places.

"No fair!" screamed Lou.

"It's about to get worse," said the stranger. "Because now that Big Vintage is no longer on your side of the field, Bacchus's Compotation goes away."

The Spell Card shattered, and the Greek ruins dissolved and faded.

"Psychic Jumper is also a Tuner..." said the stranger.

Psychic Jumper and Storm Caller turned into eight glowing stars.

"...which means I can now Synchro Summon the most powerful creature in this deck...

"_The basest and most selfish of impulses given corporeal form, the dark side of the mind that few men ever show, come forth and bring ruin to all in your path!" _

**(*2 + *6 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Thought Ruler Archfiend!"_

With a great roar that sounded like a demon from the depths of Hades, another Psychic resembling a Fiend appeared next to the stolen Monster. It had more than a passing resemblance to Summoned Skull, the famous Fiend used by the King of Games, but its armored skin was rougher and had more sharp edges.

It glared at the satyr. (2,700 ATK)

"I don't like this anymore!" screamed Lou.

"You're about to like it even less!" said the stranger. "Big Vintage Magnum Mutton, destroy Mind Protector!"

The huge Beast blasted its cannons, and the defenseless Psychic was blown to bits. Lou screamed in pain.

"Thought Ruler Archfiend," he commanded, "teach him a lesson! Attack directly!"

The demonic Psychic formed an orb of pure darkness, and hurled it at Lou. He screamed again.

**(S: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 800)**

Lou took some deep breaths and glared at the stranger.

"That the best you can do, you pointy-eared bastard?" he growled. "I'm still standing..."

The stranger frowned, and played the last card in his hand. A Quickplay Spell appeared in front of him.

"I play Emergency Teleport," he said. "It lets me Special Summon a Level 3 or lower Psychic from my deck..."

Krebons appeared again. (1,200 ATK)

"And because it's still my Battle Phase..."

Krebons shot a blast of energy at the satyr, knocking him over.

**(S: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 0)**

"Lou!" shouted Gus. "Lou!"

Lou sat up.

"Lou, forget the girl!" shouted Gus. "Let's scram! Now!"

Lou got up, seething with rage.

"Sure, I'll forget the girl..." he said.

He took something off of his belt that looked like a black cylinder, about eight inches long.

Then, he quickly swung it forward, and it extended to its full length with a snap. It was a collapsible baton.

"...but right now, I feel like committing a violent crime of a different type..."

He leapt at the stranger...

But then, he was hit by a blast of energy from behind. He fell to the ground.

He was out.

A man walked forward. He was a tall, grim-faced man, about fifty years old, bald on the top of his head, but sporting a bushy moustache. He wore an old shirt, a sweater, slacks, and a trenchcoat over them.

The weapon he had used on Lou looked like an old-fashioned blunderbuss, although the projectile had clearly been magical energy, not powder and shot.

"Dugan..." said Gus, trembling.

"Raise 'em, Gus..." said the man, aiming the weapon. "You always were smarter than your dumb brother..."

Gus lifted his hands. The man went over to the nymph, who was still crying.

"It's all right..." he said, trying to comfort her. "I think I have a handcuff key..."

As he searched his pocket, he turned to the stranger.

"Thanks for holding them," he said. "You got a name?"

"Uh..." said the stranger. "Can I get back to you on that?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The stranger assumed that the armed man was a law enforcement officer of some sort, and this was confirmed when he placed the two satyrs under arrest, and then made them vanish with some sort of magical gemstone. He then questioned the nymph, and then escorted her to her apartment, which she had apparently been trying to get to when she had been ambushed. He gave her a business card that had the address of a place that would offer counseling. (The stranger noticed the name of the place was "St. Cuthbert's House".)

Once he was certain the danger had passed, the officer turned to the stranger.

"So..." said the stranger. "I assume you're one of those... Shadowchasers they mentioned?"

"Uh, yeah..." replied the armed man. "You've never heard of them?'

The stranger took a deep breath. If he _was _a criminal, at least he wasn't one who had done something so heinous that this officer knew about him.

"I'm sorry, I can't remember much," said the stranger. "I'm afraid I don't even know my own name...

"In fact, right now, I don't remember much before the time I heard the scream for help that made me run to investigate what was happening."

"Hmm..." said the Shadowchaser. "Ordinarily I'd assume you were a new arrival... But if you were, you wouldn't have a Duel Disk... Or know how to duel so well..."

"I... I have no idea how I knew..." said the stranger. "It was like I had been a duelist all my life..."

"Can't remember your name, huh?" asked the man. "Say... What kind of Shadowkind are you? I don't remember seeing any green elves before..."

The stranger tried to remember, but then shook his head with a sigh.

"It's okay," said the man. "I'm Dugan, by the way. Jacob Dugan, senior member of the Chicago Shadowchasers."

"So I'm in Chicago?" asked the stranger, looking around.

"Yep, the Windy City itself!" said Dugan, with a laugh. "Now, until you can remember your name, let's see..."

He looked around.

A bus passed by on the street. On the side was an advertisement for Uncle Ben's Rice.

"How about we call you Ben for now? That's as good a name as any."

"Eh, works for me," said the stranger.

"Now, we'll work on trying to find out who you are..." said Dugan. "Shadowchasers are more than police... We're also supposed to help Shadows who need help..."

He looked at his watch. Two o'clock.

"Tell you what... You hungry?"

The stranger suddenly realized that he was. In fact, he was _incredibly _hungry. He suddenly felt like he hadn't eaten in days. He nodded.

"Come on," said Dugan. "I know a place."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DRUNKEN TIGER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description: **Negate the effects of facedown Defense Position Monsters that this card battles.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ONE MORE SAKE**** (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **A glass sake bottle.

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed, inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent.

_Note: "Drunken Tiger" and "One More Sake" was first used by Mr. Maeda__ in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Family Business". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. (The effect of "Drunken Tiger" given here was the effect given to it in the _Tag Force _video game.)_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAMPAGNE, THE FOAMING BEAUTY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **Flip: Select one face-up Monster. Decrease that Monster's ATK by 1,000.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BIG VINTAGE MAGNUM MUTTON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,100

**Card Description: **During each of your Standby Phases, increase the ATK of this card by 1,000.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BACCHUS'S COMPOTATION (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Bacchus standing in front of Big Vintage Magnum Mutton with red fumes hanging in the air.

**Card Description: **If you do not control a "Big Vintage Magnum Mutton", destroy this card. When your opponent declares attack with a Monster that is Level 7 or less, the opponent takes any Battle Damage that would be inflicted to this card's controller.

_Note: The preceding three cards were first used by __Sommelier Parker in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Pro Dueling". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

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**AWAKENING FROM BEYOND (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A ghostly face superimposed over a collection of coffins.

**Card Description: **Your opponent draws two cards. Select one Monster Card from your Graveyard, and add it to your hand.

_Note: "Awakening From Beyond" was first used by __the Pharaoh in the original anime episode "The Final Duel (Part 3)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**I've prevented a terrible crime, and found someone who can help me. It's not bad for a start. But I feel that I have a long way to go. What is Dugan's story? Whatever it is, I have to envy it, because it seems I have none of my own. **_

_**My quest for the truth starts in earnest next chapter. "Nerves of Steel; The Disposable Monsters" is next. **_


	2. Nerves of Steel The Disposable Monsters

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**DUEL TWO**

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**Nerves of Steel**

**The Disposable Monsters**

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As far back as Dugan's family line had been recorded, his family had been soldiers. Starting at the American Revolution, every male member of his family – except his great uncle Clyde who broke his leg playing football as a teenager, giving him a bum leg that kept him out of the service – and quite a few female members had served in the U.S. Armed Forces. So it was no surprise to anyone that he himself enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after undergoing OCS training, and later worked up the ranks to Major.

Dugan had been an Aware for a long time, but never let it concern him. The fact that he could see the weird side of the world that others could not was just a part of life to him. He saw Shadows, and simply avoided them. But he never imagined that his greatest challenge in the Marines would come from a Shadow-related threat.

A lot of people are confused as to what the Marines' specialty is. Some find it hard to tell them and the Army apart. Actually, they work more closely with the Navy. Marines specialize in amphibious combat situations, where both sea and land forces are employed.

And with the threat of piracy growing in the modern world, they were employed to combat such brutal highwaymen. And Dugan led a unit that put an end to one of the most dreaded pirates of all... The Flying Dutchman.

Many legends were told of this infamous ghost ship. (The name "Flying Dutchman" has been alternatively used both as the name of the ship and of its cursed captain.) The most common legend states that the captain of the vessel was cursed to sail until Judgment Day after wagering his soul on a game of dice with the Devil and losing. Some legends put it in the Cape of Good Hope, others in the North Sea. Wherever it was, it was said that even seeing the ship was an evil omen, or a portent of doom.

The truth, as the Shadowchasers knew, was that the captain was never human to begin with. He was a disgraced member of the Court of Stars, banished from the Feywild for some past atrocity. As punishment, he was banished from the Feywild with most of his divine powers were taken away. His presence caused plants to wither and animals to run in fear; the natural world that he was once such an important part of was now repulsed by him. Eventually, he used an unholy ritual to create a ghostly frigate out of the shadow-stuff of the Darkfell. He found the sea more bearable, as the tides and currents didn't reject him, but even here his presence caused storms and unnatural fog.

Even a disgraced fey lord had to eat, and so did his crew, which consisted mostly of other dark fey. While the crews of most ghost ships could not set foot on land, this was not true for the crew of the Flying Dutchman. Like any pirates, they raided coastal settlements, stealing whatever – and whoever – they desired. Kidnap victims were never seen again.

For the first few centuries, he did it discreetly, and only at poor coastal towns, so as not to arouse the ire of whole nations, and after looting a small town, would quickly set sail for one hundreds of miles away. But in recent years, the Dutchman grew bold, and started hitting bigger targets. Dugan's unit was in the town in Chile the night when he struck there, and Dugan was not about to retreat from any enemy, not even the dark fey who had invaded from the ghostly frigate.

Dugan told his men to hold their fire, knowing that Mundane weapons would likely do little. He walked right up to the Flying Dutchman and asked him to leave. Naturally, the pirate laughed, and would have run Dugan through with his saber if Dugan had not learned a few things about fey – he had studied a little since being able to see them for what they were.

He quickly unfolded a jackknife from his pocket, and cut the bandit lord with it. Everyone thought he was nuts to use such a small weapon, until the Flying Dutchman screamed in pain. The knife was a keepsake that Dugan's great-grandfather had owned, made of cold iron.

Cold iron is a deadly substance to both fey and demons. Nowadays, weapons made from it are very rare, for two reasons. One, they dull and rust easily; a good steel blade is much better. Two, most folks think they're primitive. (Dugan once said that a likely third reason is, fey and demons tell everyone about the first two reasons.)

The Flying Dutchman was angry, of course... It had been years since anyone had dared hurt him. But while he still clearly had an advantage – one cold iron jackknife is of little use against a boatload of dark fey – he saw an opportunity, and realized that killing Dugan outright might not profit him the most. He could sense the honor and valor exuding from the Marine... This mortal was worth more alive than as a corpse.

Dugan asked him if he was willing to resolve this as gentlemen. The pirate was curious, and asked what he had in mind. Dugan proposed a game of chess, saying that if the Dutchman won, he could take anything he wanted from this place.

The Dutchman obviously saw an opportunity. Anything? He accepted.

Dugan was no slouch at chess, and the game went on rather long. Still, the exiled fey was better, and he won the game. However, before he or his crew could take anything, he realized, to his horror, what Dugan's true plan had been. The sun was rising. Dugan had been trying to delay him.

Dugan had hoped that the disgraced fey lord couldn't survive the light of the sun, seeing as he and his ship only appeared at night. Technically, he could, but his ship couldn't. Made of the shadow-stuff of the Darkfell, the sunlight quickly caused it to rot and fall apart. And since the captain had put part of his soul into its infernal engines, he was critically injured by its destruction. He collapsed, powerless.

His crew surrendered, as they lost most of their power from the morning light as well. A group of Shadowchasers arrived soon afterwards. Dugan and his unit knew enough not to tell their superiors about the whole deal (no-one would ever have believed it anyway). When Dugan retired from the Marines after two terms of service, he was approached by Jalal personally with an invitation to join the Shadowchasers. It would be different than his old job, for sure, but he had never turned down a challenge...

And somehow, he knew that this strange Shadowkind who couldn't remember himself was going to be a challenge too. At the Sunny Side Up diner, which had an all-you-can-eat buffet at this time of day, Dugan watched the strange man whom he had called Ben as he listened into his cell phone. Clearly the poor guy had been _very _hungry. He was hungry enough to eat the spinach, a vegetable that Dugan didn't think anyone liked.

"No Karl, he's not an eldarin," he said into the phone. "He's sort of a green elf... Yeah, and he's more muscular than the typical elf too... I dunno, I've never seen anyone like it...

"Okay, sure... See you tonight..."

He hung up.

"Who was that?" asked Ben.

"Karl," replied Dugan, putting the phone away. "You'll probably see him soon."

"So..." said Ben.

He paused for a minute to finish a glass of orange juice.

"You like eating here?"

"Oh, yeah..." said Dugan. "Of course, I ate in a military mess hall for eight years... After that, pretty much everything tastes good..."

"The food in the service is that bad?" asked Ben.

"Well, not as bad as they say," said Dugan. "I guess you can't really blame the mess officers. They're in charge of feeding hundreds, sometimes even a couple thousand soldiers, three times a day. So more often than not, they have to sacrifice taste in favor of nutrition..."

Then they both heard a gruff voice at the buffet line.

"You call this spaghetti?" it shouted. "I've had Chef Boyardee stuff that tasted better!"

Dugan sighed.

"But some people take everything for granted..." he said.

At the buffet line, arguing with the chef, was someone who looked like a heavily-muscled African-American man, wearing jeans and a Gold's Gym t-shirt. He looked mean enough to the Mundane viewer, but Dugan and Ben saw someone even meaner-looking. They saw an orog.

Orcs seemed to have a very unstable genetic code, and were able to crossbreed with almost any other race. An orog was the result of a union between a male orc and a female ogre. (Reversing the genders, which was rarer, resulted in an ogrillon, an entirely different creature.) Orogs resembled orcs in general outline, but were bigger, tougher, and often smarter. They sometimes acted as leaders for small groups of orcs, but more often than not had the same nasty temper that their fathers had.

"Do you actually expect me to eat this?" he asked, rudely.

"Yes," said the chef, with a sigh.

He pointed to the food on the buffet.

"And this, and this, and that, and that... And seconds, and thirds... And then come back here tomorrow and do the same thing while complaining about how bad it is again."

The orog glared at him.

"You know something, Pete?" he growled. "You are the one thing I can't stomach..."

"You'd best calm down before you do something you regret, Scully," said Dugan.

Scully turned and looked at Dugan.

"Eh..." he said. "Well if it ain't the Admiral..."

Dugan looked him in the eye.

"I was in the Marines, genius," he replied. "Admirals are part of the Navy. And I was only a Major."

"Huh..." said Scully. "Just as bad..."

"Look, Scully," said Dugan, now sounding annoyed, "I come in here two or three times a week during the buffet time, and you're always here, either stuffing your face or complaining about the food. Not to mention the fact that you always leave a big mess for the busboy to clean up. If it's so bad, why do you eat it?"

"Cause it's all you can eat," replied Scully.

Dugan held his forehead.

"I'd offer you an antacid," he said, "but that only cures heartburn, not stupidity."

"You take that back!" shouted Scully.

Dugan glared at him. Scully took a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.

"Scully!" shouted Pete. "The No Smoking sign is right there... I swear, if you light up in here one more time, I'm going to throw you out."

Scully looked at Pete, and then looked at Dugan with a scowl. Pete wouldn't have dared say that to him if Dugan hadn't stepped in.

"I'm not scared of you, Scully," said Dugan.

"Care to prove it?" asked Scully.

Dugan turned to Pete.

"Pete, do you accept Diner's Club?" he asked.

"Uh, I guess so..." said Pete.

Dugan took a deck of cards out of the inner pocket of his trenchcoat, and loaded it into his own Duel Disk.

"How about a deal, Scully?" he said. "We duel. You beat me, you and three friends can eat here for a month on my Diner's Club card. Assuming you even have three friends. But you lose, Pete gets to make use of his reluctant right to refuse service, and you stay out of here from now on."

"You're on!" shouted Scully. "We'll take this outside!"

He head out the door.

"Ben..." said Dugan. "You come watch this... Maybe seeing official Shadowchaser business will bring something back."

Ben looked at Dugan.

_A month? _he thought. _He must be pretty confident…_

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"Step right up, sucker," laughed Scully, who had already produced a Duel Disk of his own. "I've wanted to throw down with you ever since you humiliated me at Hyde Park."

"You mean the time you were stinking drunk and I arrested you for public indecency?" asked Dugan. "Gee, Scully, I think by the time I got there, you had done a pretty good job of humiliating yourself."

"Is he always like this?" asked Ben.

"Uh huh," replied Dugan. "Word on the street says he was kicked off his varsity football team for unnecessary roughness."

"Don't go there!" snapped Scully. "Just duel!"

Ben held his head again.

_Everything so foggy… _he thought.

He looked at the Duel Disk on his arm. He took the deck out of the holster, and looked at all the Psychic Monsters… Psychic Snail, Doctor Cranium, even Master Gig…

He had never seen these cards before… He had never recalled dueling until he had run into that parking lot… But when that thug had challenged him to a duel, he suddenly knew how all the cards worked, and it had all come as natural as riding a bike…

Even stranger… He had no idea how he had knocked the other one down with one punch. Clearly he knew how to fight from somewhere…

He held his head again. Just thinking of all this was giving him a migraine…

Dugan and Scully both activated their Duel Disks.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Dugan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Scully: 8,000)**

"Seniority rules, Scully," said Dugan.

He drew a card.

"I'll make the first move."

He looked over his six cards.

"I'll summon Scrap Goblin."

There was a sound like the clattering of tin cans and metal shingles, and a small Monster appeared in front of Dugan. It was a creature that seemed to be pieced together out of junk and scrap metal. Its torso looked like an old camera, its head was a faucet head with goggles and a mixing bowl on top, it had a fork for a left hand and an awl for the right, and its feet were made from staplers. (0 ATK)

"Eh?" said Scully. "Kinda expected more than that..."

"I'll throw this facedown for later..." said Dugan, fitting a card into his Disk.

A reversed card materialized behind Scrap Goblin.

"...and my turn is over."

"All right, I draw!" shouted Scully, drawing a card.

He added it to the other five cards in his hand.

"And... That will do it for now..."

Both Ben and Dugan were very surprised.

_No Monsters, no facedown cards? _thought Dugan. _This likely means one thing... Gorz. _

He made a draw.

_But... I'm not without a few surprises of my own..._

"I summon Scrap Beast!" he shouted.

With another clanking, clattering sound, a dog ran onto the field, which like the Goblin, seemed to be made of cobbled-together junk. (1,600 ATK)

"I'm not scared of a bunch of Machines," said Scully.

"For your information, the Scrap Monsters only _look _like Machines," said Dugan. "Almost none of them truly are.

"And now Scrap Beast attacks directly! Junkyard frenzy!"

Scrap Beast snarled, and leapt at Scully.

"Hold it right there!" shouted Scully. "Since you ordered a direct attack, I can Special Summon Battle Fader from my hand!"

In a dark aura, a sinister-looking pendulum appeared in front of him. (0 ATK) Scrap Beast was halted dead in its tracks.

"And this Battle Phase is over now. So sorry, bub."

Dugan frowned. He turned a card on his Disk, and Scrap Goblin knelt in Defense Mode. (500 DEF)

"It's your move," he said.

"Gladly..." said Scully, with a grin.

He drew a card.

"I'll get rid of Battle Fader..."

Battle Fader turned into an orb of dark energy. Then a chilling wind wafted across the street.

"...to summon Mobius the Frost Monarch!"

In an explosion and an icy chill of winder wind, the infamous Frost Monarch towered over the field, casting a cold glare on Dugan and his two Scraps. (2,400 ATK)

_A Monarch Deck? _thought Ben. _This guy doesn't fool around..._

Dugan smirked a little. This was not the first time he had dueled against a Monarch Deck…

"Now I use its effect," said Scully with a laugh. "Say bye-bye to that Trap Card!"

"It isn't a Trap, it's a Spell," said Dugan, "and I'm activating it now!"

It shot up.

"Scrapstorm! Step one, I choose one Scrap Monster on the field, like Scrap Beast. Step two, I take one Monster with the word 'Scrap' in its name from my deck, like Scrap Chimera, and send it to the Graveyard..."

The card slipped out of his deck, and he quickly discarded it.

"Step three, I destroy the Monster I chose in step one."

Scrap Beast shattered into pixels.

"You destroyed your own Monster?" asked Scully, in disbelief.

"With Scrap Monsters, that's the whole idea," said Dugan. "They're made of recycled parts, and they can be destroyed, only to be recycled again and again.

"Case in point, since Scrap Beast was destroyed via the effect of a card with the word 'Scrap' in its name, I get to take another Scrap from my Graveyard."

Scrap Chimera slipped out of the discard slot, and he took it.

Scully chuckled and closed his eyes.

"Pretty neat combo..." he said. "But it's still my turn..."

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Shield Crush, to destroy your Goblin!"

A bolt of energy shot out of the card, blowing Scrap Goblin to shards.

"All right Mobius! Put the chill on the Admiral! Icicle spear!"

Mobius formed a sharp spire of ice, and hurled it at Dugan like a javelin. He grunted a little, but it didn't seem to hurt him as much as it would most duelists.

**(D: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 8,000)**

"Dugan!" shouted Ben.

"Don't worry about me..." said Dugan. "I'm used to a little pain..."

"I'll set this, and end my turn," said Scully. "Let's see what else you've got."

A facedown card appeared behind Mobius.

"Uh, Dugan?" said Ben.

Dugan turned to Ben, and smirked slightly. Then he drew.

"I summon Scrap Chimera!" he shouted.

With a roar, a new Scrap Monster appeared in front of him. It looked like a lion made of metal plating over a wooden frame, with metallic wings. (1,700 ATK)

"And simply by summoning it, I'm able to Special Summon a Tuner Monster with the word 'Scrap' in its name from my Graveyard."

Scrap Beast appeared again. (1,600 ATK)

"Tuner?" said Scully. "Now wait just a minute..."

Scrap Beast flew into the sky with Scrap Chimera following. Both Monsters faded into eight glowing stars. Dugan chanted...

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

With a roar, an even bigger Scrap Monster appeared, casting a shadow over the whole field. Like the previous Scraps, it was made of junk and scrap metal, but seemed of a much better design, and built in the shape of a dragon. Its eyes glowed with fiery light, and steam poured from pipes on its sides. (2,800 ATK)

"Ho boy..." said Scully.

Dugan took a card from his hand, and fit it into his Disk. A facedown card appeared in front of him.

"I could simply attack your Frost Monarch," said Dugan, "but I don't have to, given my Dragon's effect. By destroying one of my cards, I can destroy one of yours."

"Hold on!" said Scully.

The Spell that Dugan had just set shattered, and Scrap Dragon exhaled a cloud of green fire, vaporizing Mobius the Frost Monarch.

"Scrap Dragon," ordered Dugan, "attack that lug directly! Toxic blaze!"

Scrap Dragon shot a more concentrated blast of the same green fire, and Scully screamed as he was knocked over.

**(D: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,200)**

"Ooh, you'll pay for that..." he grunted.

"Yeah, well..." said Dugan, "I end my turn..."

"Not before I use this," said Scully.

His Trap Card lifted up, and he stood up.

"It's called Shock Draw, and it lets me draw one card for every thousand points of damage I took this turn."

He made two draws.

"Now, I'll take my turn..."

He drew a third card.

"So, you like Dragons, huh?" he asked. "Here's a Dragon for you... I Special Summon Vice Dragon."

With a growl, an average-sized and incredibly ugly Dragon materialized on Scully's side of the field. It stood upright on its hind legs, had large muscles under pebbly skin, and a rounded snout. (2,000 ATK)

"Of course, since I Special Summoned it like that, I gotta cut its scores in half..."

(1,000 ATK)

"But... I only summoned it to sacrifice it..."

Vice Dragon turned into an orb of darkness that gave way to an orb of crackling energy.

"...for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!"

Lightning flashed, and another of the infamous emperors towered over the field, this one the more sinister side of the Light Attribute. (2,400 ATK)

_No! _thought Ben. _Dugan's Dragon is a goner!_

Indeed it was. Zaborg blasted a lightning bolt at Scrap Dragon, and it exploded into particles.

"I use Scrap Dragon's _other _effect!" shouted Dugan. "When it's destroyed by battle or by my opponent's card effect, I get to Special Summon another Scrap from my Graveyard!"

Scrap Goblin appeared again, shielding itself in Defense Mode. (500 DEF)

"Then I'll just have to get rid of it the old fashioned way," said Scully, "Zaborg, roast that Goblin with lightning strike!"

Zaborg shot a bolt of burning lightning at Scrap Goblin...

...only to have it glance off the small creature's metal body.

"Huh?" said Scully.

"Scrap Goblin can't be destroyed by battle," said Dugan. "However, since it was in Defense Mode, when you end your Battle Phase, its own effect will cause it to destroy itself."

"Fine," said Scully. "I'm done attacking."

Scrap Goblin shattered into shards.

"Forgot to mention," said Dugan. "When Scrap Goblin is destroyed by the effect of a Scrap Monster, including its own effect, I get to take another Scrap Monster from my Graveyard."

A card slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"Reuse, recover, recycle," said Dugan. "That's how Scraps work."

"Fine!" shouted Scully, getting angry.

He fit a card into his Disk, and a facedown card materialized.

"It's your move!"

Dugan drew a card.

"While you're thinking about what to do," said Scully, "I'm gonna use this number..."

His facedown card flipped up.

"Mind Crush?" asked Dugan.

"That's right," said Scully. "I get to say the name of any card I can think of, and if you've got it now, you have to toss it.

"I say... Scrap Chimera!"

Dugan frowned. He took the card from his hand and discarded it.

"That was what you got with that shrimp's effect, right?" laughed Scully. "Just how dumb do you think I am?"

_Pretty dumb, _thought Dugan.

"I summon Scrap Hunter," he said.

Another Scrap appeared. This one was semi-humanoid, covered with bent pipes, tank treads instead of legs, a large metal claw for a right arm, a drill bit for the left, and a head made from the propeller of an outboard motor. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, a Spell Card," continued Dugan, playing another card. "Shrink."

Zaborg groaned, and a dark aura surrounded it. (1,200 ATK)

"That cut him down to size," said Dugan. "All right Scrap Hunter! Topple that Monarch! Predatory rush!"

Scrap Hunter's drill began to spin, and it rushed towards the Thunder Monarch. Zaborg let out a howl as the weapon struck home, and then the giant exploded into motes of light.

"Ugh..." said Scully.

"I set one card and end my turn," said Dugan.

A facedown card appeared, and Scrap Hunter returned to a score of 1,600.

**(D: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,800)**

Scully grunted as he made a draw.

He glared at Dugan, and then threw a card on his Disk. A reversed Monster appeared.

"My move..." said Dugan.

He made a draw.

He played a card, and another Scrap Goblin appeared next to Scrap Hunter. (0 ATK)

"Another one?" asked Scully.

"That's right," said Dugan. "Now, I'm using Scrap Hunter's effect. I can destroy one Scrap Monster, except for Scrap Hunter..."

Scrap Goblin shattered.

"That means I get to use Scrap Goblin's effect. You remember, don't you?"

He took a card from his discard slot.

"Seems I was able to hold onto Scrap Chimera after all," he said. "And due to Scrap Hunter's effect, I get to send one Tuner Monster from my deck to my Graveyard."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he discarded it.

_Next round, I'll have a big surprise for him, _he thought. _In the meantime..._

"Scrap Hunter, attack!"

Scrap Hunter rushed at the facedown Monster...

...but it was halted by what looked like a pink gumdrop with eyes, and an upside-down smile on the top of what passed for its face. (500 DEF)

"Marshmallon?" exclaimed Dugan.

He grunted as an aura of red energy sapped at his Life Points. Marshmallon only grinned at him.

**(D: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,800)**

Dugan looked at Ben.

"Lovely..." he said. "I was trained on bivouac where we handled mosquitoes the size of canned hams, ten-mile hikes in the rain, and more push-ups than you want to know about... But I got through it and graduated OCS with flying colors. Times like this when a little cream puff gets in my way..."

"Yeah, that is ironic..." said Ben.

"Are you done?" asked Scully.

"Mmm," said Dugan, nodding.

Scully frowned. He drew a card.

He looked at it. It was Sakuretsu Armor.

_Hmm, _he thought.

"I'm beginning to see that destroying your Monsters is only helping you, pal," he said. "So... I'm gonna get rid of that guy another way...

"I sacrifice Marshmallon..."

The small Fairy turned into an orb of dark energy.

"...for Caius the Shadow Monarch!"

With a sinister chuckle, the most dreaded of the Monarchs loomed over the field: A fifteen-foot-tall Fiend in dark armor, with a bat-like head. (2,400 ATK)

"And by summoning him, I get to remove one card on the field from play."

Dugan looked in shock as Scrap Hunter vanished into nothing.

"Attack him directly!" shouted Scully. "Nihilistic purge!"

Caius formed a sphere of absolute blackness in its hands – a Dark Core. He hurled it at Dugan, who grunted a little as it hit him.

"Oh, did that hurt?" asked Scully.

"Tell me..." said Dugan, "exactly where did someone like you learn a word like 'nihilistic'? Can you even define it?"

Scully started to say something, but he stopped. Truthfully, he couldn't. He had heard the word on an old episode of a science fiction television showand thought it had sounded cool.

He growled a little again. He fit Sakuretsu Armor into his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

_Even if he has two copies of that Dragon, _he thought, _I'll be prepared. _

"Move," he said.

**(D: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,800)**

Dugan made a draw. He looked at it.

"Once again, I summon Scrap Chimera," he said.

Chimera appeared once again. (1,700 ATK)

"And once again, I use its effect to Special Summon a Tuner from my Graveyard...

"But this time, I'm summoning the one I sent there with Scrap Hunter's effect... Meet Scrap Soldier!"

A bigger, bulkier Scrap appeared. Again, it looked vaguely humanoid, with a torso made from pipes and wires, a head with one glowing optic sensor with a helmet on top, skinny legs, a metal spear for a right hand, and a rotary spiked maul for the left. (2,100 ATK)

"Hold on!" shouted Scully. "That's Level 5! That means you can only summon..."

He stopped short.

"...a _Level 9_ Synchro?"

"I hoped it wouldn't have to come to this Scully," said Dugan.

Scrap Soldier and Scrap Chimera flew into the sky.

"...but you've made me angry enough to do it."

The two Scraps faded into nine glowing stars. Dugan chanted again.

"_Mighty engines rebuilt out of refuse and recycled material, form a being that can rule as king over the junkyard that spawned it!"_

**(*5 + *4 = *9)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Twin Dragon!"_

With a bellowing roar, a Monster that was twice as big as Scrap Dragon rose above the field. It had two heads, each one resembling that of Scrap Dragon, connected to a body that was hard to define with any accuracy. Again, it seemed to be cobbled together out of junk and jury-rigged parts, but it was clearly a deadly and smoothly-running machine. (3,000 ATK)

"Now I use its effect," said Dugan. "I choose one of my cards, and _two _of yours. Mine is destroyed..."

Dugan's set card shattered.

"...while yours are sent back to your hand."

Scrap Twin Dragon roared, and Caius and Scully's Trap Card were blown off the field.

"Next," said Dugan, as he played a Spell Card, "I play Battle Tuned. I'll remove a Tuner in my Graveyard from play..."

He took Scrap Solider from his discard slot, and pocketed it.

"...and my Monster gains Attack Points equal to its Attack Points."

(5,100 ATK)

"Well, ain't that just ducky..." chuckled Scully.

Dugan glared at him. So did Ben.

_Something is wrong here... _thought Ben. _Dugan has him dead to rights... But Scully doesn't seem the least bit worried..._

Dugan looked at Scully suspiciously. Then he looked at Scully's hand of cards, which consisted of four cards. Two of them were the cards he had just sent back to his hand, but...

_He's got another Battle Fader..._ thought Dugan. _I'm sure of it. Maybe he isn't as dumb as I thought._

_If I make a direct attack, that thing will stop it cold... Then on his turn, he'll summon Caius again, and it will be all over!_

"Well?" asked Scully. "What are you waiting for?"

Dugan looked at the three cards in his hand. He chose one of them.

He fit it into his Disk.

"Before I attack, Scully," he said, "I'm playing this..."

A Spell Card appeared.

"Guts of Steel. This is kind of complicated, so listen closely. I select three Scraps in my Graveyard... Then, of the three, you choose one. I get to Special Summon the one you choose, and I have to remove from play the ones you don't."

"Sounds like fun," chuckled Scully.

"Right," said Dugan. "Here are your choices..."

Three cards appeared in front of him. They were Scrap Dragon, Scrap Chimera, and Scrap Goblin.

"This some sort of joke?" laughed Scully. "I choose Scrap Goblin, of course!"

"Okay, you're the boss..." said Dugan, quietly. "So I get rid of these..."

He placed the Dragon and Chimera in his overcoat.

"...and I summon Scrap Goblin."

The small Beast-Warrior appeared... But it was in front of Scully. (0 ATK)

"WHAT?" shouted Scully. "What's it doing there?"

"I didn't say I had to Special Summon it to _my _side of the field, Scully," said Dugan. "And since I'm not attacking directly, I can end this.

"Attack Scrap Goblin! Toxic hurricane!"

Scrap Twin Dragon exhaled a blast even more intense than the one exhibited by the regular Scrap Dragon, and Scully let out a bloodcurdling scream...

**(D: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

Scully fell to his knees.

"All right, tough guy, you don't look so tough now," said Dugan. "Now get lost, and if I see you at this place again, I'm going to decide that running you in for making a public nuisance will actually be worth it."

Scully got up, and was gone in a second.

"Not bad, Dugan..." said Ben. "I wish I could say it jogged my memory, but... Nothing..."

Dugan looked at him.

"Well..." he said. "Maybe we can delve a little deeper... You ever ride shotgun on a D-Wheel?"

"Uh..." said Ben.

"Oh, that's right..." said Dugan, "you don't remember... Well... Let's go home..."

"Home?" said Ben.

"My home..." said Dugan. "Or rather, our headquarters..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lake Shore Drive is an upscale community situated along a highway of the same name, which was, in turn, situated along the shore of Lake Michigan.

It was four PM as they arrived at the large apartment building in this neighborhood, specifically at the penthouse at the top.

"Wow..." said Ben, as they walked in. "You folks must be pretty well-off to have a place like this..."

"The boss is pretty generous," replied Dugan. "Having more money than some European countries helps."

They walked into a living room, where a fire was burning in the fireplace. This fire was always going in every Shadowchasers base. It was a focus for the head of the organization to meet with them should the need arise.

On one side of the room was a couch in front of a deluxe entertainment system. On the other side was a desk with a high-tech computer and a cage holding two Guinea pigs. In between, in front of the fireplace, were several soft chairs.

Dugan went to a closet and took down a device that looked like an Etch-a-Sketch with a black screen.

"Here, Ben," he said. "Put your hand on this, and hold it there for five seconds."

'This is to take my fingerprints, right?" asked Ben.

"Yep," said Dugan. "Hopefully, we'll find out who you are by the end of the day."

Ben pressed his hand against the screen of the device, and after five seconds, it beeped.

"Make yourself comfortable while I make some calls," said Dugan.

Ben reclined on the couch.

"Mind if I watch TV?" he asked, picking up the remote.

Dugan didn't object, but he looked rather puzzled as Ben clicked on the television. Clearly, Ben wasn't a new arrival. He knew at least a little about terrestrial technology.

Still, Ben didn't see anything he recognized when he flipped the channels. As Dugan went into another room to look for something, he sighed and turned it off.

_Wonder if he's got anything to drink? _he thought.

He walked into the moderately-sized kitchen. He looked around. Modern, quaint, a few appliances that he didn't know the purpose of...

He opened the door to the refrigerator.

_Let's see... _he thought. _Soda... Purple stuff... Milk..._

"Word of advice," said a voice. "Don't touch the Ben & Jerry's. Nicole will skin you."

"Who's there?" asked Ben.

He looked around.

"Down here," said the voice.

He looked down, and saw a little man, only three feet tall. He had pointed ears and a long nose, and was wearing an apron.

"Pleased to meet you," he said. "I'm Bartholomew. That's the name of one of the Twelve Apostles that no-one knows anything about."

"Uh, yeah..." said Ben. "Uhm... You're some sort of fey, right?"

"Yep," replied Bartholomew. "I'm a brownie. I'm the housekeeper here. I cook, clean up, feed Karl's pet Guinea pigs when he forgets to do it..."

"Must be awfully hard for you..." said Ben. "Having such a job when you're so small..."

"Naw, brownies are used to it..." said Bartholomew.

He hopped on a stool.

"There was once a time when brownies would... glean, as we called it. We snuck into farmhouses late at night, and we'd clean up the place... Mop the floors, chase away the mice, milk the cows, churn the butter... Brownies could even nurse sick farm animals back to health when farmers were too poor to get treatment.

"In return, we'd take a little food, and maybe some beer if they had it. We never ate much, so they didn't mind."

"So why did you stop?" asked Ben.

Bartholomew sighed.

"Modern technology," he replied. "As the years went by, modern conveniences made life easier for humans, and brownies weren't needed any more. Vacuum cleaners and sponge mops made cleaning easier. Butter churns became obsolete, and cows weren't milked by hand any more.

"But, if an Aware human wants to hire us, like good old Dugan did, we'll happily oblige! You might say I'm a short-order cook…

"Heh, heh… That was a little humor there…"

He looked at Ben, who was still taking this in.

"Oh, I'm sorry, am I boring you?" asked the brownie.

"No, this is... Very interesting..." said Ben. "Seems so... familiar..."

"Huh..." said Bartholomew. "You got a name pal?"

"I seem to have amnesia," said Ben.

Bartholomew rubbed his chin.

"Hmm..." he said. "Maybe you're cursed..."

He hoped onto the counter.

"Look me in the eye," he said.

"Huh?" said Ben.

"Fey magic, you know?" explained Bartholomew. "I think I might be able to tell if you're cursed."

He looked Ben in the eye. He and Ben stared eye to eye for a few seconds.

"Hmm…" said Bartholomew. "Seems there's a little sign in there that says 'Space for Rent'…"

"Huh?" said Ben.

"Heh, heh, just kidding," said the brownie. "Seriously, I don't see any curse... Of course, that may only mean that you're under a curse so powerful that I can't detect it.

"Anyway... What exactly were you looking for in the fridge? Like I said, don't touch the ice cream, it belongs to Nicole."

"Who's Nichole?" asked Ben.

Then they heard a female voice talking in the living room.

"Think she just came in," said Bartholomew.

Ben walked back into the living room at the same time Dugan did. Standing there was a young woman who had just walked in. She was nineteen years old or so, African-American, with a curvaceous figure and long, curly, chestnut hair. She wore jeans and a white tank top, which did a very good job of showing off her muscular arms. Ben might have considered her incredibly beautiful if she didn't look so intimidating.

She was speaking on a cell phone when she saw Ben.

"I'll call you back, Phil," she said.

She hung up.

"Who's this, Dugan?"

"We aren't sure," replied Dugan. "He's someone I found at the South Side. He can't remember himself."

Nichole gave Ben a long look.

"Well, we may have to go back there soon," she said. "Phil says someone suspicious is hanging out around Kenwood. Some tiefling dressed like a stage magician."

"The Mean Emcee?" asked Ben.

They both looked at him.

"Uh… You recognize a tiefling dressed that way?" asked Dugan.

Ben clutched his head, as if it was hurting again. Then Nichole's phone beeped again. She answered and listened.

"Yeah Phil..." she said. "Yeah... I'll get there as soon as possible..."

She hung up.

"The green elf was right, Dugan," she said. "This guy calls himself the Mean Emcee... And he just held up a drug store. I'd better find him."

"Nichole, take Ben with you," said Dugan.

Nichole looked at Ben again.

"If he recognizes the guy, maybe seeing him will help bring his memory back," continued Ben.

Nichole sighed.

"I won't get in the way," promised Ben.

"I hope not," said Nichole. "You're gonna have to ride shotgun on my D-Wheel...

"Watch your hands when you do..."

Ben looked closely at a pendant she was wearing. It looked sort of like a Celtic cross, surrounded by a circle.

"What?" she asked.

"That's the symbol of St. Cuthbert, isn't it?" he asked.

Nichole glared at him.

Then, her lips formed a slight smile. She nodded.

"I think I might like you," she said. "Come on!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHOCK DRAW (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A duelist being struck by lightning as he holds up two cards.

**Card Description:** Activate only during an End Phase. For each increment of 1,000 points of damage you took during this turn, draw one card.

_Note: "Shock Draw" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" manga, Ride 3. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: The group that has taken me in is growing. But what of Nichole? What can I expect from her? And what will I find out from this tiefling robber whose name seems ring a bell somewhere in my mind?**_

_**My quest for answers continues. "Strong Will; Strong Resolve" is next.**_

_**I will know the truth.**_


	3. Strong Will Strong Resolve

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Strong Will**

**Strong Resolve**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The world had certainly been a struggle for Nichole Belvins, even though she had, up to now, spent only nineteen years in it. As far as the Shadowchasers went, she had been Dugan's apprentice, but her struggles against the dark side of Shadow had, like his, started before she had ever heard of them.

Nichole grew up in the inner city of Chicago, on the South Side. Her father was a deadbeat who left her, her older brother and her mother when she was two. That left her brother Marc, ten years her elder, to look after them, something he swore he would always do.

And somehow, he managed to do it. He kept enough money coming in to pay the bills, put food on the table, and even found time to help Nichole with her homework. Still, he always told Nichole never to follow in his footsteps. It wasn't the best path. Often he told her this after coming home with black eyes and a fat lip.

Even if their mother suspected that the money Marc was earning came from crime, she didn't know how serious it was. Marc had joined a gang called the Blue Serpents, an incredibly violent group of young toughs. To give one example of how violent they were, when an initiate wanted to become an official member, the initiation ritual (which was the same for both genders, incidentally) was simply to survive inside a ring used by the gang for boxing and other fighting matches for five minutes – senior members tried their best to make sure it wasn't easy for them. The ritual was overseen by the gang's leader, a hulking muscleman named Sven. If he was in a good mood (which was rare) he made sure that there was only one senior member per initiate. If he was in a bad mood, he might have made it so they were outnumbered as much as three to one.

Sven bore especial remark. He was not only big, he was hulking. He stood six-foot-ten, and had a chest that measured four feet across. The only thing he was prouder of than his muscles was his natural red hair, which he never got tired of combing. He was an excellent duelist too, playing a Monarch Deck that was much better put-together than Scully's. He even had a copy of the incredibly rare Delg the Dark Monarch, although he had once said that his favorite was Thestalos.

Plus, he was no idiot. That was why the Trap Cards Mask of Restrict and Pulling the Rug were strictly forbidden among members of the gang. Who would own them for any reason other than defeating his deck? (At least that was his reasoning.) He'd hold surprise inspections of belongings at inopportune times, and anyone caught with one of them would be brutally punished.

Only the top members of the Blue Serpents knew that they were really working for Madison Vance, the biggest mobster in Chicago at the time. A crime boss with power on the same level as folks like Cattivo Fanciullo and Louis DaPen, he dealt in drug dealing, protection, loan sharking, illegal gambling, smuggling... There were even rumors of white slavery floating about. The head members of the Serpents thought that the gang was supposed to be Vance's eyes and ears on the street.

But only Sven himself knew the true purpose of the gang. When it became certain that the police were going to bust one of Vance's operations, evidence would be manipulated and planted so that a member of the Serpents would be set up as the fall guy and fingered as the one who directed the scheme, leaving Vance and his lieutenants unsuspected.

And when a protection racket went too far and a store owner ended up murdered because of it, that's exactly what happened to Marc. Nichole was twelve at the time.

It might have ended after he went to prison, if not for Sven's gall. He paid Nichole and her mother a visit, saying he was sorry about what happened to Marc, and mentioned to Nichole that the Serpents' door would always be open if she wanted to come.

Whether he was truly sorry or not, it was impossible to tell; Nichole knew Marc had been set up, and blamed Sven for it, but in fairness, she had no idea who had made the choice. But seeing Sven opened Nichole's eyes... It awakened the latent Aware inside her. Sven was not fully human. His coal-black skin was a dead giveaway, and his yellow teeth were clearly not the result of poor dental hygiene. He also had an odd smell about him, kind of like that of a cooling charcoal kiln.

Nichole would later learn that Sven was a half-giant, one of the rarest types of Shadow-Touched. Giants don't mate with humans often, due to the size difference (even hill giants, the smallest variety of true giants, averaged about eighteen feet tall as adults), but sometimes a teenage giant might not have had all of his or her growth spurts yet, and might take fancy to a human servant (or slave). In any case, Sven's father was a fire giant, one of a race of giants known for being violent, militaristic, and unlike giants with similar attitudes, quite clever.

As Nichole grew older, she put her sight to good use. She joined up with St. Cuthbert's House, a charity organization named after a Shadowkind deity devoted to retribution and punishing lawbreakers. When not running soup kitchens and holding clothing drives, St. Cuthbert's House took an active role in keeping thugs like the Serpents from corrupting the youth of the inner city – often more of an active role than the law would like, but it got the job done.

Most Mundanes assumed that whoever founded St. Cuthbert's House named it after Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, one of the most important medieval saints. It made sense; Cuthbert was known for his generosity to the poor, as most charity organizations were. In truth, the organization was named after a completely different person, not a messenger of divine powers, like the one Mundanes knew about, but a divine power in his own right.

This St. Cuthbert was an odd deity to say the least. Some Shadows – including his followers – believed that he had once been a mortal man, but if that were true, it was many ages ago, from a civilization long extinct and forgotten. He was more concerned with defending the concept of Law than with the ongoing struggle between Good and Evil, but because evil beings broke laws far more often than good ones did, he more often than not sided with the forces of Good.

While at St. Cuthbert's House, Nichole learned martial arts, swordplay, wrestling, and naturally, Duel Monsters, all ways to survive in this day and age. It didn't attract a lot of boys, something that was on the mind of most girls her age (one of them said it would be hard to go out with a girl who was "more ripped than he was") but she was in no hurry to find the right person yet. Being strong – and strong-willed – was more important to her.

When Dugan came and invited her into the Shadowchasers, she couldn't say yes fast enough. She resolved then and there that the first Shadowkind crook she would take into custody would be Sven. It was easier than she thought, in fact. The Shadowchasers raided the Blue Serpents' headquarters, and Sven, like most bullies, turned out to be a coward when the odds were against him. Nichole even got a recorded confession from him regarding what had happened to her brother...

But for solid evidence, the big fight remained: Taking down Vance. Their campaign to do so lasted a month, and revealed a big secret: Vance was an incredibly powerful Shadowkind related to evil dragons called a Bluespawn Godslayer. Believed to be created via the will of Tiamat herself, Tiamat's Spawn are supposed to act as warriors for Tiamat's cause, fighting the servants and vassals of her hated enemy, Bahamut. Bluespawn Godslayers were among the most powerful of them.

The problem was, some of the more intelligent Spawn often lost sight of their purpose, becoming mercenaries whose loyalty could be bought. And a rare few, like Vance, took initiative on their own, becoming leaders in their own right. Nonetheless, after the month-long fight, Vance fell, and did not rise.

Vance was tried in the Shadowchasers court, but his lieutenants were tried by the regular system, and many formerly closed cases were reopened. Marc was still in prison now for several crimes he committed as a member of the Serpents, but with the most serious convictions overturned, he would be eligible for parole in a couple of months, rather than thirty years from now. His new lawyer, who worked for a firm that worked for St. Cuthbert's House, said his chances were excellent, and she was eagerly awaiting the day.

Nichole was still an active member of St. Cuthbert's House – you never truly leave such a place, after all. She had even helped orchestrate a small alliance between the Chicago Shadowchasers and the House, something that the leader of the Shadowchasers had been reluctant to do before, given the House's occasional vigilante activities. Nichole was nineteen now, still young, and she knew there was still plenty to accomplish...

...and if this tiefling, this "Mean Emcee", was causing trouble, she was going to handle it.

Right now, he was standing in front of the checkout lines of a supermarket, where the employees and the customers were cowering in fright. Like Nichole's contact had said, he was dressed like a stage magician – a formal black suit with a waistcoat and vest, a black cape with red lining, and a top hat. His tiefling nature would make him look even more sinister to an Aware viewer; he had devilishly pointed ears and grey skin.

"Now watch," he said, taking off his hat, "as I make all of this money... Disappear!"

He waved his hand, and the cash registers dinged, and then opened. A powerful suction drew the bills and coins out of them and into the hat, as the cashiers screamed and covered their heads.

"Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen!" he said, replacing the hat on his head. "I wish I could stay for an encore, but I have another show to do down the street..."

He rushed out the door, laughing as he did...

Then he stopped short. Nichole was standing in front of him in the parking lot, and Ben was behind her.

"You know, pal," she said, "the magician thing has already been done. Ever hear of a guy named Pandora?"

"Yeah!" laughed the Mean Emcee. "And didn't he open a big box of trouble?

"Get it? Pandora? Box?"

"I get it!" said Nichole. "So what's it gonna be, pal?"

"Wait!" said the Mean Emcee, as he took his hat off again, "watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!

"Nothing up my sleeve..."

Nichole became a little nervous as he did that. There was really _nothing _up his sleeve. Not even an arm.

He reached into the hat.

"Presto!"

He thrust his hand out, and in a shower of magical motes, a full-grown African lion appeared between him and Nichole.

It licked its lips when it saw her...

"Whoa..." said the Mean Emcee, replacing the hat. "Must've gotten the wrong hat...

"Bye-bye!"

He fled in the other direction as Nichole and Ben backed away from the hungry lion.

"If there's one thing I hate worse than a wise guy," said Nichole, nervously, "it's one who makes a mockery of the classics..."

"What are you gonna do?" asked Ben.

Nichole opened a pouch on her belt, and took out a three capsules.

"I usually use these for bestial Shadowkind," she said, "but they work just as well on ordinary animals."

She tossed them at the beast, and they landed under its chin. As they did, three sprays of green gas shot into its face.

The lion slumped to the ground, in a deep sleep.

"Come on!" shouted Nichole. "It'll be out for hours."

As she and Ben rushed after the Mean Emcee, Nichole hit the speed dial of her cell phone.

"Dugan?" she said. "Call animal control. There's a lion asleep in front of the Big Y on Clark.

"I know, long story... I'll explain later."

"I think I see him!" yelled Ben.

He did, down the road. The Mean Emcee had reached an underground parking garage, and deftly leapt over the bar blocking the entrance. Still giggling, he ran inside, where several cars were parked.

"I'll just wait in here until the coast is clear..." he said to himself.

Then he heard a growl.

He looked around. Then he realized it was his stomach.

He frowned. He took off his hat and looked in it.

"Now where's that lunch I packed?" he mused.

He took a watch out of his waistcoat pocket and looked at it.

"Five o'clock? Damn... I must have eaten it for lunch!"

He replaced the hat on his head, crossed his arms, and made a sulk.

"Note to self..." he said. "Next time you rob a grocery store, stop by the deli to get a sandwich."

"You want a sandwich, huh?" said Nichole's voice.

The Mean Emcee turned to see her and Ben approach.

"How about a knuckle sandwich? I don't know where you came from, friend, but I'm not amused."

"Why are you so upset?" laughed the Mean Emcee. "If it weren't for guys like me, you Shadowchasers would be out of a job!"

"This guy isn't jogging my memory at all," said Ben, "but if I did see him before, it must have been from a time when I had one of those days."

The Mean Emcee gestured, and a bouquet of flowers appeared in his hand.

"So, this is the part where you take me in for armed robbery, I suppose?" he asked.

The flowers turned into golden motes, and the motes surrounded his left arm. Then they turned into a Duel Disk.

"Well..." he said with a sinister smile. "Not without a fight..."

Nichole was more than a little nervous, even if she talked tough. This guy was a spellcaster of some sort... And she had no way to gauge just how powerful he was. Ben knew the same thing. He couldn't remember much, but something in the dark cloud that obscured his memory broke through, and told him to always be wary of wizards.

Nichole held up her Duel Disk.

"You're on!" she said.

The two Disks activated.

"Duel!" they both said.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Mean Emcee: 8,000)**

The Mean Emcee chuckled, and made a draw.

"I Special Summon my Jester Confit," he said.

He played the card, and with a low, throaty chuckle, a jester appeared in front of him. It was short and squat, dressed in a purple suit, sleeves that had white and purple stripes, a mushroom-shaped hat with the same design, and a ruffled collar and cuffs. It was balancing on a ball. (0 ATK)

"That guy has no points..." said Nichole.

"Mmm, yes..." said the Mean Emcee. "I'll end my turn with three facedown cards..."

Three reversed cards appeared behind the Confit.

"...and then we'll see what you have..."

Nicole made her next draw.

"Oh, I have plenty!" she said. "Like Amazoness Swords Woman!"

In a flash of energy, a tall, woman with muscles just as developed as Nichole's appeared, dressed in a blue bikini and boots decorated with the claws and teeth of some predatory animal. She had wild, red hair and carried a large scimitar. (1,500 ATK)

"Whoa!" said the Mean Emcee. "She's hot!"

Swords Woman gave him a dirty look, and Nichole shook her head.

"Watch it," she said. "My Amazons don't have to take that kind of crap, and they aren't going to."

"Well then..." said the Mean Emcee, "if I want to put on a crowd-pleaser, I'd best pull out all the stops..."

One of his facedown cards lifted. Swords Woman gasped, and a cube of force formed around her.

"Hell Barricade!" laughed the Mean Emcee. "It prevents all Level 4 or lower Monsters from attacking this round."

Nichole frowned.

"Then I set one card," she said, as a reversed card appeared behind Swords Woman, "and end my turn."

"Then the second effect of Hell Barricade takes effect," said the Mean Emcee. "You take 500 points of damage for each Level 4 or lower Monster you have."

Nichole winced a little.

"Jester Confit's effect occurs at this point too," continued the tiefling. "It goes back to my hand, while your Monster goes back to yours."

Nichole stopped short as both Monsters vanished.

"That's... not good..." she said.

**(N: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 8,000)**

"My draw..." said the Mean Emcee.

He made a draw.

"And I play my Pot of Duality," he said as a Spell Card appeared. "I have to forfeit my ability to make a Special Summon this turn, but I get to reveal the top three cards from my deck, and then choose one."

Now Nichole was _really _shocked. Pot of Duality was a pretty rare card.

Three cards appeared in front of the Mean Emcee. They were Level Limit Area B, Dust Tornado, and Jester Lord.

"This one will do," he said.

Jester Lord vanished, and a card appeared in his hand.

"Now, I shuffle these two back to my deck..."

The other two cards vanished, and the Disk shuffled the deck.

"I set one more card, and then summon Jester Lord."

A set card appeared in his Spell Zone, and then a new jester materialized with a haunting laugh. Unlike the Confit, this one was tall and thin, dressed in orange and blue, with a green foolscap. (0 ATK)

"I know," said the Mean Emcee. "You're wondering why Jester Lord has no points either... Well, when he's the only Monster on the field, he gains 1,000 Attack Points for each Spell and Trap Card on the field."

Jester Lord laughed again, and started juggling four flaming balls. (4,000 ATK)

"Ho boy..." said Ben.

"Are you enjoying my show?" asked the Mean Emcee.

Nichole's only response was a scowl.

"Tough crowd," said the Mean Emcee. "Jester Lord... Attack!"

Jester Lord laughed again, and raised his arms, turning the four flaming balls into one huge fireball. He threw the projectile, and Nichole was thrown back ten feet as it hit her.

Nichole got up, her skin covered with scorch marks, but she looked far more angry than hurt. Ben looked on in disbelief. This woman was just as tough as her Monsters.

"Here's an interesting bit of trivia," said the Mean Emcee. "Fear of clowns is called coulrophobia!"

"You know something?" said Nichole. "I don't find you funny at all...

"It's my move!"

**(N: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 8,000)**

She drew a card. She glanced at it, put it aside, and chose another one.

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman again," she exclaimed.

Once again, the scimitar-wielding warrior woman appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"And now that your Jester Lord is _not _the only Monster on the field," she continued, "his score falls to zero."

The flaming balls that Jester Lord was juggling fell to the ground and vanished. He shrugged. (0 ATK)

"Maybe so," said the Mean Emcee, as another facedown card lifted, "but he'll quickly gain it back. I activate Imperial Register.

"This is a useful Trap Card, and I can use its effect once per turn... When one of my Monsters loses Attack Points due to a card effect, even his own effect, I can increase the Attack Points of one of my Monsters by the same amount until the End Phase.

"So... Jester Lord quickly regains the 4,000 Attack Points he lost."

Jester Lord cackled again, and started juggling the four balls again. (4,000 ATK)

"I suppose you don't know about Swords Woman's effect," said Nichole. "When she battles a Monster, all Battle Damage is taken by my opponent, not by me."

"Okay..." said the Mean Emcee. "That's a real pickle... But if you attack, my Jester Lord will still win the battle..."

Nichole grinned.

"Don't count on it..." she said.

She fit a card into her Disk.

"I play the Equip Spell, Amazoness Heirloom!"

Swords Woman's bikini top turned into an armored breastplate, and gauntlets appeared on her wrists.

"With this Equip Spell, when an Amazon attacks a stronger Monster, she survives. The Monster she attacks, however, isn't so lucky.

"Swords Woman, attack that Jester Lord! Pride of Themyscira!"

Swords Woman charged at the mad clown, and made a swipe with her blade. The Jester held his stomach, and then burst into swirls of dark energy.

"And, as promised," continued Nichole, "due to Swords Woman's effect, the Battle Damage is inflicted to you."

The Mean Emcee suddenly felt like he'd been socked in the gut. He held his stomach.

_This isn't funny anymore, _he thought.

"Not bad..." he growled, as another of his facedown cards flipped up, "but by doing that, you activated this, the Trap Card, Harlequinade!

"Its effect activates whenever a Monster with the word 'Jester' in its name is destroyed, giving me an extra draw... So long as there aren't any Monsters with the same name in my Graveyard at the time."

He drew a card.

**(N: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 5,500)**

"It's my move!" he said, drawing another card.

His last facedown card lifted up.

"Boy, this guy sure likes Continuous Traps," said Ben.

"Damn right!" snapped the Mean Emcee. "This is Imperial Custom, and it prevents all of my Continuous Traps from being destroyed except itself.

"Moving right along, seeing as this does indeed seem to be lady's night, let's welcome a special guest... I summon Jester Queen!"

In a dark aura, a feminine figure appeared. She was indeed a jester, but didn't look as "clownish" as the previous two, dressed in a frilled, purple leotard and green leggings, her green hair tied back in a ponytail with an oversized pink bow. (800 ATK)

"When I summon this gal," continued the Mean Emcee, "I have to destroy all my Spells and Traps. But thanks to Imperial Custom..."

Imperial Custom burst into shards.

"...it's the only one that's destroyed."

"So what is your Queen going to do?" asked Nichole.

"I'll get to that," said the Mean Emcee. "I play Secret Passage."

In a flash, a Continuous Spell Card appeared.

"I can use the effect of this Spell when my strongest Monster has a lower Attack Score than your weakest one. Since that's the case, one of my Monsters can attack directly."

"Go ahead!" said Nichole, with a grin. "I'm not scared of her!"

"You will be when I tell you about her effect," said the Mean Emcee. "She can attack more than once. In fact, she can attack once for each Spell and Trap I have."

"Three times?" exclaimed Ben.

"Nope," said the Mean Emcee.

He set a card in his Disk, and a set card appeared next to Secret Passage.

"Four."

Jester Queen casually lifted her hand, and a fireball appeared in it.

_Okay, this may be a problem... _thought Nichole.

Jester Queen threw the fireball, and Nichole grunted as it hit her in the torso. Then she followed up with three more fireballs, and Nicole held her stomach in pain.

**(N: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 5,500)**

"Isn't my Jester Queen fabulous?" asked the Mean Emcee. "Well, don't go away, folks, she'll be doing an encore next turn. For now, I'll turn the stage over to my opponent."

Nichole was breathing heavily.

She drew a card. She looked at it.

"Trap Card, activate!" laughed the Mean Emcee, as his set card flipped up. "Threatening Roar!

"Afraid you can't attack this turn."

_Damn! _thought Nichole. _That Jester Queen will be able to attack three more times next turn... But if she attacks even _one _more time, it will be over..._

She looked hard at the five cards in her hand. Then her eyes fell on one of them.

_Heh... _she thought, looking at the Warrior on the card. _And to think I almost took this gal out of my deck..._

"I summon Amazoness Blowpiper!" she exclaimed.

Another Amazon appeared, this one younger than Swords Woman. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, and held back by a barrette made from an animal's jawbone. She wore a green bikini and breechcloth, fur boots with knee-guards made from the skulls of fanged animals, wore war paint on her face, and carried a blowpipe. (800 ATK)

"Eh?" said the Mean Emcee.

_Oh, I see... _thought Ben.

"I end my turn, buddy," said Nichole.

"Well then," said the Mean Emcee, as he drew a card, "time to bring this show to a close...

"Jester Queen... Attack..."

He stopped short.

"Hey, wait a second..."

"You realize why I summoned Blowpiper, right?" said Nichole, with a big grin. "Her Attack Score is equal to Jester Queen's.

"Since your strongest Monster isn't weaker than my weakest any more, you can't use the effect of Secret Passage!"

For the first time, the Mean Emcee looked angry.

"I'll teach you to upstage me!" he said.

"I'll set a Monster..."

A reversed Monster appeared in front of him. (_It's obviously his Confit, _thought Nichole.)

"Then I'll move Jester Queen into Defense Mode as well..." he continued.

Jester Queen knelt, and crossed her arms over her chest. (800 DEF)

"Then I'll play... Magic Planter."

He played his last card, and a Spell Card appeared. Vines sprouted from the ground, wrapped around Imperial Register, and pulled it into the ground.

"By sending a Continuous Trap to the Graveyard, I get to draw two cards."

He made two draws. He looked at them.

"I'll set one of them facedown, and end my turn."

A reversed card appeared where Imperial Register had been.

"My move!" shouted Nichole, as she made a draw.

"I summon Amazoness Fighter!"

With a battle cry, an Amazon appeared that was more muscular than the others, having the build of a female wrestler. Her bikini top and breechcloth were blue, connected by two leather belts that encircled her mid-section, her black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and cloth was wrapped around her wrists, below her wristbands. (1,500 ATK)

"Okay, now you're scaring me..." said the Mean Emcee.

"It's only gonna get worse," said Nichole. "Blowpiper, destroy that hidden Monster!"

Blowpiper put her weapon to her lips and aimed, revealing the portly clown on the card. She fired, and he shattered into pixels.

"Now, my Trap activates," said Nichole, as the facedown card she had set on her first turn lifted up.

"Queen's Pawn?" exclaimed the Emcee. "What does that do?"

"I can activate it when one of my Amazons slays one of your Monsters," said Nichole. "And summon another low-Level Amazon from my deck.

"You like big cats so much? Say hello... To Amazoness Tiger!"

There was a loud roar, and a large she-tiger bounded onto the field next to Swords Woman. It wore a bronze collar and bronze wristbands on its paws. (1,100 ATK)

The Tiger growled. Swords Woman bent down and lovingly pet her on the head.

"Amazoness Tiger just can't stand being alone," said Nichole, "because she gains 400 Attack Points for each Amazon I have."

(2,700 ATK)

"But I won't be using her just yet... Amazoness Fighter, destroy Jester Queen with fists of fury!"

Fighter leapt at the female clown, and gave her a mighty punch with her bare hands. Jester Queen was propelled backwards, and shattered into bits.

"Harlequinade's effect activates!" exclaimed the Mean Emcee, making a draw.

"You'd best hope it's a good card," said Nichole. "Swords Woman... Attack him directly!"

Swords Woman rushed at the thief, and slammed her sword into him. He shrieked.

"And then there's Tiger!" exclaimed Nichole. "Attack with Fanged Fury!"

Amazoness Tiger roared and pounced. The Mean Emcee screamed as the she-beast tackled him.

"Whoa, Nichole," said Ben. "I hope I never have to duel you... You know how to kick serious A."

Nichole looked at him, and smirked.

"To end my turn," she said, as she held up another Spell Card, "I'll play Supremacy Berry. Because my Life Points are lower than yours, I gain 2,000."

She glowed with golden energy.

**(N: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 1,300)**

The Mean Emcee got to his knees, breathing heavily.

_This girl's material is pretty good... _he thought._ If I don't do something fast, it's gonna be curtains for me._

"It's your move, Mean Emcee," said Nichole. "And by the way... So long as my Tiger is on the field, you aren't allowed to attack any Amazon except her."

The Mean Emcee drew a card.

Then he started cackling again.

"I think he got a good draw..." said Ben.

"Indeed I did," said the Mean Emcee, "but before I use it, I'm going to play Emergency Provisions."

He played a card, and Secret Passage vanished. He glowed with golden energy.

"I hardly need _that _any more. Now... I'm going to summon the true star of my show...

"And because I have all three lesser Jesters in my Graveyard, there's nothing stopping me! Time to meet my most powerful Monster! Introducing... Chaos Jester!"

An ominous shadow appeared on his side of the field. Then the shadow gave way to an equally-ominous Monster. Its clothing looked similar to a jester's garb, but more form-fitting, and colored dark purple and orange, with a black heart over the left side of its chest. It also wore a blue full-face cowl with slits for eyes. It held a long scythe made of a silvery metal. (2,800 ATK)

"Chaos Jester?" said Nichole. "Wait... I've heard of this card... It was the rarest Secret Rare of the set that came out three sets ago! It was so scarce the promotional material didn't mention it. No-one even knew about it until someone actually pulled it!"

"True, it's not exactly common," said the Mean Emcee.

He looked at Nichole.

"Oh, I know what you're thinking… You're probably thinking, why on Earth is this duelist who can get such a rare and powerful card… Why this conjurer who can make full-grown African lions appear out of thin air… Why is he possibly wasting his talent robbing stores like a common thief?"

"Pretty much," said Nichole.

The Mean Emcee took a strange pendant that was around his neck, and lifted it to eye level. He looked at it.

"Let me ask you a question…" he said. "Why did the fireman wear red suspenders?"

"You're kidding, right?" asked Nichole. "To keep his pants up! That's an old joke!"

"True," replied the Mean Emcee. "But my dear Shadowchaser, it was once a new joke a long time ago. When it was a new joke, the reason it was funny was because the answer was so obvious. Why did the fireman wear red suspenders? The person being asked would think it was because of some odd reason, when the answer was the obvious one, the reason _anyone _wore suspenders. The answer being obvious made it funny."

He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and started to clean the pendant.

"What?" said Nichole. "Wait… Are you saying that the answer is right in front of my face and I should…

"Hey… What the heck is _that _thing?"

"This?" said the Mean Emcee, letting the pendant hang again. "Oh, it's nothing, pay it no heed.

"Now let's see, where were we…"

Chaos Jester lifted its scythe…

"Oh yes, that's right…"

It made a slash, and Amazoness Tiger roared before shattering into pixels. The other three Amazons looked in horror.

"And don't think you're gonna pull the same trick with your Swords Woman that let her destroy my Jester Lord," he continued.

He played the last card in his hand, and Mystical Space Typhoon blasted across the field. The Amazoness Heirloom card shattered, and Swords Woman's armor fell off.

"I end my turn..." said the Mean Emcee.

**(N: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 2,300)**

_Okay, don't panic, Nichole... _thought Nichole.

She made a draw.

"First, I use Blowpiper's effect," she said, "Which I can use during each of my Standby Phases…"

Blowpiper put her weapon to her lips, and fired a dart, hitting Chaos Jester in the shoulder. He grunted, and his Attack Score fell down to 2,300.

"Nice," said the Mean Emcee. "But your Amazons still won't be strong enough."

"Then I'll summon someone who will be," replied Nichole. "I sacrifice Blowpiper..."

Blowpiper turned into an orb of light.

"...for Amazoness Queen!"

Both Swords Woman and Fighter knelt, as a taller, more regal-looking Amazon strode onto the field. She was older than they were, and radiated an aura of authority. While she was still dressed in a bikini top and breechcloth, they were accented by woven designs, jewelry made from claws and teeth, and a scarlet cape. An eyepatch over her right eye was a testimony to the battles she had endured, and she carried a nasty-looking falchion with an elaborate hilt. (2,400 ATK)

"With my Queen on the field," said Nichole, "both she and all other Amazons are invincible in battle.

"And she'll deal with your Jester personally! Amazoness Queen, attack! Blade of Hippolyta!"

Amazoness Queen lifted her sword, and leapt at Chaos Jester...

But the Jester used the shaft of its scythe to parry the blow. It was pushed a step backwards, but was unharmed.

"What?" said Nichole.

Then she noticed that her opponent had activated another Trap Card.

"I activated Spirit Barrier," said the Mean Emcee. "Its effect keeps me from taking damage so long as I have at least one Monster on the field...

"And Chaos Jester isn't leaving, because he can't be destroyed by battle either so long as I have at least two Continuous Traps in play.

"But... While he benefits from me having two Continuous Traps, the same effect renders him immune to them. In fact, it renders him immune to ALL Trap Cards!"

Nichole looked at the field. She looked at the three cards left in her hand.

"I end my turn..." she said.

"That means your Blowpiper's poison wears off," laughed the Mean Emcee, as Chaos Jester's Attack Score rose to 2,800 again. "Now I'll draw…"

He drew one card. Then he quickly played it.

"I'm activating the Spell Card, Shrink," he said. "And it's gonna cut your Queen down to size."

Amazoness Queen gasped, and shrank to the size of a little girl. (1,200 ATK)

The Jester lifted its weapon.

"This won't destroy her..." said the Mean Emcee, "but you'll still take damage!"

Amazoness Queen grunted as the weapon hit her. She held her stomach, but stayed standing.

**(N: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 2,300)**

"Make your move..." said the Mean Emcee, as Amazoness Queen returned to her regular size.

Nichole paused before drawing.

_There'd better be something to that old 'Heart of the Cards' thing that the King of Games was always talking about, _she thought. _I have a feeling that there's more to this whole thing than I thought half an hour ago._

She drew her next card.

_Heh... Maybe there is..._

"Come on out, Amazoness Sage!" she shouted.

There was an aura of magical energy, and another Amazon appeared, this one dressed in an outfit that appeared more ceremonial. Her black halter top and collar were accented by yellow feathers, her red breechcloth was held in place by a white sash and a belt made of teeth, and her hair was done up in a beehive-style hairdo, worn long in the back. She carried a simple wooden staff, topped with a crescent-shaped piece of wood, on which hung more feathers and three small bones. (1,400 ATK)

"Next, I play Amazoness Fighting Spirit!" she exclaimed, as a Continuous Spell Card appeared in front of her.

"With this card in play, an Amazon gains 1,000 Attack Points whenever she attacks a Monster that has more Attack Points than she does.

"All right! Amazoness Sage... Attack Chaos Jester!"

"Say what?" said the Mean Emcee.

The Sage lifted her staff above her head, and leapt at the masked Spellcaster, intent on smashing him in the head with it. The Amazoness Fighting Spirit card glowed, and her Attack Score shot up to 2,400.

Chaos Jester simply swatted her aside with a backhand, and she fell backwards on her behind.

**(N: 200) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 2,300)**

"Well that was incredibly stupid!" laughed the Mean Emcee.

"Oh, really?" asked Nichole. "Want to know what Sage's effect is? When she makes an attack, successful or otherwise, I get to destroy one Spell or Trap Card."

"Huh?" said the Mean Emcee. "WAIT a minute!"

Amazoness Sage pointed her staff and shot a blast of energy from it, blowing Spirit Barrier to pieces.

"Now you only have _one _Continuous Trap Card," said Nichole, "so my Queen is coming in for a second try, and this time, I don't think your Jester is going to be able to withstand it!"

Amazoness Queen lifted her sword, and charged at the evil clown. Her Attack Score rose to 3,400, and with one mighty blow, the Spellcaster was cleaved in half. The two pieces dissolved into dark mist.

"Fighter, Swords Woman..." said Nichole. "He's yours..."

The two Amazons rushed at the Mean Emcee.

"No, no wait..." he said.

Then he screamed as Swords Woman's scimitar and Fighter's foot slammed into him. He fell over.

**(N: 200) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 0)**

Nichole and Ben looked at the fallen tiefling. He seemed to be out.

"One more crook off the streets," sighed Nichole.

"I just wish that he could have jogged my memory," said Ben. "I haven't got the faintest idea why I was able to guess what his name was... It was like it just... Popped in there... And..."

Then the Mean Emcee sat up. He started laughing.

"What's so funny?" asked Nichole, annoyed.

He didn't answer. He just kept laughing, harder and harder. Sweat poured down his brow.

"Something's wrong with him!" shouted Ben.

"Are you okay?" shouted Nichole.

Then she noticed something. The amulet around his neck was glowing.

Nichole grabbed it, and with one swift tug, tore it free from him. She threw it on the ground, and it stopped glowing.

The Mean Emcee's insane cackling calmed down to a quiet chuckle. He lay down, his eyes still open, still laughing softly.

Nichole snapped her fingers in front of his face. Then she did it again.

"Something terrible happened to him..." she said. "He may have thought this whole thing was a joke… But someone else certainly didn't think it was very funny…"

Ben and Nichole turned to the amulet...

For the first time, she got a good look at it. It was a strange symbol... A black, angular, inverted, two-step pyramid, made out of some sort of crystal, the color of a bruise.

"What is it?" asked Ben.

Nichole looked hard at the weird piece of jewelry.

"I haven't the foggiest idea..." she whispered.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HELL BARICADE**** (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A barbed wire fence in the desert, surrounded by robotic drones.

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent Normal Summons a Monster. Level 4 or lower Monsters cannot declare an attack this turn. At the End Phase of the turn, your opponent takes 500 points of damage for each face-up Level 4 or lower Monster he controls.

_Note: "Hell Barricade" was first used by Ushio in the Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's episode "Driving Test". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**JESTER QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **When this card is Summoned, destroy all Spell and Trap Cards you control. This card can attack once for each Spell and Trap Card that you control.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**IMPERIAL REGISTER**** (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **The king from "Imperial Order" holding a book and issuing a command to a man in front of him.

**Card Description: **Once per turn, when a Monster you control loses Attack Points due to a card effect, you can increase the ATK of a Monster you control by an amount equal to the amount that the Monster lost until the End Phase of the turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SECRET PASSAGE**** (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Dark Scorpion Chick the Yellow standing in front of staircase in a dungeon corridor going down that had been hidden by a trap door.

**Card Description: **Once per turn, if the face-up Monster you control with the highest ATK has a lower ATK than the face-up Monster your opponent controls with the lowest ATK, 1 Monster you control may attack directly.

_Note: The preceding three cards were first used by Jeager in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" Episode 114._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CHAOS JESTER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except from your hand when you have at least 1 "Jester Confit", 1 "Jester Lord", and 1 "Jester Queen" in your Graveyard. If you control 2 or more face-up Continuous Trap Cards, this card cannot be destroyed by battle and is not affected by Trap Cards. If your Graveyard does not contain at least 1 "Jester Confit", 1 "Jester Lord", and 1 "Jester Queen", destroy this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HARLEQUINADE**** (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **A sad-looking man dressed in the garb of a jester from French-style drama, in the act of singing.

**Card Description: **When a face-up "Jester" Monster you control is destroyed and a card with the same name is not in your Graveyard, you may draw 1 card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Ben: I've only heard mention of Karl, the last member of Dugan's team, and the other Shadowchaser he trained. Where has he been all day? Well he was – and still is – on a stakeout, at a place where he believes Shadowkind with ties to international organized crime will show up soon. **_

_**They are, but not in the way he expected. He's about to meet up with someone who probably wouldn't have had to duel... But wants to, because he wants something that only a Shadowchaser might be able to provide. And he offers as a wager something that Karl can't risk turning down.**_

"_**Cold Hands; Heated Determination" is coming soon…**_


	4. Cold Hands Heated Determination

_Before this chapter starts, I'd like to give credit where credit is due. The character __Drago Uccisore was created by fanfic author __jcogginsa, as part of a Shadowchasers File that was never published. Special thanks to him._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Cold Hands**

**Heated Determination**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

A common saying in the United States is, "build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door". In the information age, where one invention can cause the whole culture to change, it's truer than ever. And for Karl Hudson, he couldn't start fast enough. His first grade teacher called him "gifted" and a "prodigy". At that young age, he not only knew how to use a computer, but was using his father's soldering iron to experiment with microchips and try to improve them.

At age seven, he doubled the memory capacity of his father's laptop by himself. At age ten, he built a digital alarm clock. At age fifteen, he put in a patent for an invention that was likely going to pay for his college education: inspired by the game of space chess that R2D2 and Chewbacca played in _Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, _he invented a chess board with holographic pieces that marched across the board. He later made a deal with The Noble Collection, who got through the copyright red tape and allowed him to make the device resemble the actual game in the movie, and they were now marketing it.

He never actually took an IQ test (he thought people who bragged about their IQs were losers) but he did take the entrance test for Mensa and passed easily. Of course, there was a secret to his ability other than simple smarts: He had never lost his Awareness, and had quickly learned the ways of the Shadowjack.

Shadowjacks seem like typical hackers, but they don't rely merely on technology and book smarts to get into places where they don't belong. They also use inborn magical ability, using it to bypass security systems, decode data, and cover their tracks. They aren't true sorcerers (although some eventually become techno-mages, actual wizards who can cast spells through cyberspace). Shadowjacks are able to do with ease things that other hackers have a very difficult time with, and among Shadowkind, some systems are protected with magical defenses that _only _Shadowjacks have any chance of getting past. Folks like Karl were able to get information that was inaccessible to almost anyone else.

Karl was frightened when he was eighteen, and Dugan, whom he recognized as a Shadowchaser, showed up on his door. He thought that he had finally been caught for illegal intrusion. To his utter surprise, Dugan offered him an invitation – he wanted Karl to join the organization. For Karl, the world had beat a path to his door, and he was letting it in.

With even more magic and technology available as a Shadowchaser, Karl was able to create a device that put his holographic chessboard to shame. Portable computers with holographic screens were not unknown, of course, but the gauntlet that Karl invented which fit over his right arm was years ahead of them. It used Shadowjack technology to access the Internet from any local service provider, was voice activated, and had an internal memory of one-thousand gigabytes squared.

It also had an AI with a sexy female voice, which he named "Sal". (Only diehard science fiction fans knew the reference – Sal was a computer AI seen in the sequel to both the novel and film version of _2001: A Space Odyssey, _a counterpart of the villainous HAL 9000, but with a female voice.) Nichole once had asked him why he had given it such a voice, and he said that AIs are _supposed _to have that kind of voice. (Apparently, Nichole was never a big fan of science fiction.)

In fact, he was using this device right now, as he was talking on the phone with Dugan. He was in the parking lot of La Traviata Ristorante, one of the best places to get Italian food in uptown.

"Sorry, Dugan," he said, "but I can't find any reference to any elves with green skin. The only thing that comes close is the Emerald Queen, a female verdant lord who ruled the dark fey on the Isle of Wight about a hundred years ago. But she never took a consort nor had children... She was kind of like Queen Elizabeth I in that regard."

"Well... How goes your stakeout?" asked Dugan.

"Like most stakeouts," replied Karl. "Boring. I have info that one of Cattivo Fanciullo's lieutenants is going to meet with someone important at this place... Maybe an underworld summit or a proposal for an alliance."

"_Karl, behind you!"_ shouted Sal's voice.

Karl spun around, and was face-to-face with two men... One who was hulking who stood about six-foot-four, and another who was significantly smaller.

"Or maybe it's just because the place makes the best fettuccini Alfredo in town," said the hulking man.

"Dugan... I'll get back to you..." said Karl.

He quickly drew his sword from the sheath on his back.

"Well, well..." he said. "Drago Uccisore... I didn't expect Fanciullo to send someone _that_ important."

Although he looked like a blonde-haired muscleman dressed in beige clothing with numerous straps and pockets in it (which held a variety of weapons for when he did his job as Fanciullo's bodyguard) any Aware viewer could see that Drago was obviously a Shadow. He was something called a khimera, a humanoid offshoot of the mythical chimera. Khimera were able to integrate the body parts of common animals that they killed into their own bodies, becoming more powerful as a result. Drago himself had been quite successful in this regard, having acquired bear claws, wolf fangs, and gecko-like feet.

He turned to the smaller thug.

"Go wait in the car, Julius," he said. "I'll handle the Shadowchaser."

"But sir, he..." said the henchman.

"I said beat it!" snapped Drago.

A look of fear came across the thug's face, and he was gone in an instant.

Drago took a cigarette out of a pack in his shirt pocket and lit it.

"So hard to find good help these days, eh?" he said. "You can put that sword away, by the way... If I had wanted to kill you, you'd have been rock chill by now."

"So what do you want, Drago?" said Karl.

"I didn't want anything originally..." replied the mobster. "Just wanted to come here for the pasta... I heard it was good... But once I saw a Shadowchaser, I saw an opportunity..."

He took a Duel Disk off of his back, and strapped it to his left arm.

"You want to duel me?" asked Karl. "Why?"

"A simple wager..." replied Drago. "You beat me, I have information you might need. My boss knows about some heavy stuff that's coming to this town, and you folks are gonna want to know it too...

"If I win... You get me in to see _your_ boss."

"Assuming I can even do that..." said Karl, "why do you want to see Jalal?"

"You ever have dreams, kid?" asked Drago. "Well, I got one... My dream is to live forever. But I have no idea how I'm ever gonna do that. The only way I can fathom it might be possible is to get Jalal Stormbringer to wager his immortality in a duel."

Karl glared at him.

"Assuming that he'd ever consider wagering his immortality..." he said. "Exactly what can you ante against it that would be of equal value? You must admit, immortality is worth several billion dollars."

"You let me worry about that," said Drago. "We have a deal?"

Karl sighed.

"I can't guarantee that Jalal will ever grant you an audience or accept your challenge," he said.

Drago shrugged.

"Never hurts to ask," he said.

He took one more drag on the cigarette, and then flicked it away.

"Fine..." said Karl, "but this 'heavy stuff' had best be worth my time."

He lifted up his left arm, and his own Duel Disk activated.

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Drago: 8,000)**

"_Karl," _said Sal's voice. _"I've found some information on Uccisore's dueling strategy. Apparently, he plays a deck full of rare Armor Monsters."_

"Don't count on it," said Drago.

Karl looked at him.

"Oh yeah, I heard your little friend," said Drago, pointing to his left ear. "These ears came from a coyote, you know.

"Anyway, yeah, I have an Armor Deck... But that doesn't mean I'll always use it. I've got something very different this time.

"Anyway... You make the first move..."

Karl drew a card.

"I'll set a Monster..." he said, as a reversed Monster appeared in front of him. "And I'll leave it at that for now."

Drago shrugged, and made a draw.

"I summon Red-Eyes Black Chick to the field," he said.

He played the card, and a small, red egg appeared in front of him. It cracked a little, and two sinister eyes peered out of it. (800 ATK)

"Then, by sending it to the Graveyard..."

The small hatchling turned into an orb of dark energy.

"...I can bring out his daddy..."

Karl stepped back in shock as an icon of Duel Monsters started to take shape; the signature Monster of Tenjouin Fubuki and Jonouchi Katsuya before him... The Red-Eyes Black Dragon. (2,400 ATK)

"How on earth did you get a card that rare?" asked Karl.

"I've got rarer cards in my deck," replied Drago. "You'll see some of them later... For now...

"Attack. Inferno Fire Blast."

The Red-Eyes blasted a stream of fire at the hidden Monster. A crane-like bird with blue feathers and a crown-like crest appeared, and was burned to ashes.

"That was Blizzd, Defender of the Ice Barrier," said Karl. "And when it's destroyed by battle, I get to draw one card."

He made a draw.

Drago shrugged again, and fit a card into his Disk. A reversed card appeared behind his Dragon.

"That... ought to do it for now..." he said.

Karl made another draw.

He set a card again, and a new reversed Monster appeared.

"I'll end there," he said, somewhat nervously.

Drago drew a card.

"I remove my Dragon from play..." he said.

Red-Eyes vanished into thin air.

"...to summon something better..."

With a low growl, a Dragon that was twice as big as the regular Red-Eyes, with a metallic sheen to its hide and edged, serrated wings, looked over the field. It let out a loud roar. (2,800 ATK)

"That's the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!" shouted Karl.

"That's right," said Drago. "You're probably wondering where I got it... It's even rarer than the regular Red-Eyes.

"Well, last year, Mr. Fanciullo was experimenting with Dragons, and despite the rarity, he was actually able to obtain _three _copies of this card."

_Three copies? _thought Karl, getting frightened.

"But after dueling once with the completed deck," continued Drago, "he concluded that it just wasn't him.

"He was nice enough to give one of the three cards to me... And he gave the other two to two other crime bosses to clinch agreements that he made with them.

"But... Back to business..."

His Trap Card lifted up.

"I activate Escape From the Dark Dimension. This lets me Special Summon a Dark-Attribute Monster that's been removed from play. So, I'll bring back the regular Red-Eyes."

Karl gulped as a portal opened, and the original Red-Eyes flew out. (2,400 ATK)

"I'm only half-done," continued Drago. "Next, I'm using Darkness Metal Dragon's effect, which lets me Special Summon a Dragon from my hand or Graveyard every round. I think Rare Metal Dragon will do."

With another growl, a bulky, wingless Dragon that also seemed to be well-armored lumbered onto the field. (2,400 ATK)

"And finally... Since I haven't Normal Summoned yet... I'll bring out Axe Dragonute."

In another dark aura, a Dragon-man with dark scales and wings, holding a double-bladed battle-axe appeared. (2,000 ATK)

"_He seems to be playing a Hopeless Dragon Deck," _said Sal. _"You'd best start thinking about how you're going to explain this to Jalal..."_

"Don't give up yet, Sal," said Karl, nervously.

"Rare Metal Dragon," said Drago, "you first... Attack with dark hellfire."

The Dragon breathed a bolt of black flames from its jaws towards Karl's facedown Monster...

A man appeared on the card, dressed in a ceremonial robe made of fur, with long, blonde hair. He was sitting in the lotus position, and holding his hands in a praying position. (1,000 DEF)

The blast of energy was halted by an aura of blue light.

"What?" said Drago.

"That's Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier," said Karl. "And like Obnoxious Celtic Guardian before him, he can't be beaten by Monsters that have 1,900 Attack Points or more. Seems that all four of your Dragons are simply too powerful."

For the first time, Drago looked a little ticked off.

"I end my turn," he said with a sulk.

"I can see what you're trying to do, Drago," said Karl. "You're trying to upstage Jalal by building an even better Dragon Deck than his."

"Maybe..." said Drago.

"Well, consider this a test," said Karl.

"A test?" replied Drago.

"Yeah..." said Karl. "If your deck can't beat mine, it can't possibly beat Jalal's."

He drew a card. He looked at his hand, which consisted of seven cards.

Then he selected one.

"I summon Strategist of the Ice Barrier," he said.

In an aura of blue energy, and old man wearing a long robe and a collie hat appeared. He had a full, grey beard, and wore an amulet with a blue stone. His hands were concealed under the large sleeves of each other arm. (1,600 ATK)

"Why'd you summon that guy in Attack Mode?" asked Drago. "My Dragon is going to fry him like a cannoli."

"So I could use his effect," replied Karl. "By sending an Ice Barrier Monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I can draw one card."

He took Warlock of the Ice Barrier from his hand and discarded it. Then he made one draw.

"That's a pretty big risk you're taking," said Drago. "Did it pay off?"

"We'll see," said Karl. "It's your move..."

"Eh..." said Drago, drawing a card. "We'll see he says... Unbelievable..."

"I set one card," he said, as a card appeared facedown, "and then I attack with Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!

"Attack! Wipe out that geezer!"

The huge Dragon let lose a wave of dark fire, and Karl braced himself as Strategist was incinerated.

"I'm not done," said Dragon, holding up the last card in his hand. "Because my regular Red-Eyes didn't attack this turn, I can play this Spell Card..."

"Infernal Fire Blast?" gasped Karl.

"_Oh, Karl..." _said Sal. _"This is gonna hurt..."_

It may have not technically been a direct attack that came next, but it might as well have been one. Karl tried his best to keep from screaming as the wave of flames from the Red-Eyes covered him.

**(K: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 8,000)**

"That's all for me," said Drago.

Karl stopped for a minute to catch his breath. He shivered, nervously… He looked at the huge Dragon in front of him who had just burned him…

"You gonna make a move?" asked Drago. "Or do I have time to check my Blackberry?"

Karl took a deep breath again. He slowly drew a card.

"All right, Drago," he said, "I play the Spell Card, Moray of Greed."

As he played the card, the Pot of Greed appeared behind him. Then it tipped over, and a moray eel with a similar grinning face swum out.

"I take two Water-Attribute Monsters from my hand, and send them back to my deck…"

He took Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier and Spellbreaker of the Ice Barrier, and slipped them into his deck.

"Then I reshuffle…"

The Disk auto-shuffled the deck.

"Then I make three draws."

He drew three cards, and looked at them.

"Time to turn this around, Drago..."

"And how do you plan to do that?" said Drago, with a chuckle.

"With _this!" _exclaimed Karl. "The Spell Card, Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier.

"To play this card, I first have to reveal three Ice Barrier Monsters with different names in my hand..."

He turned three of his cards forward: Samurai of the Ice Barrier, Caravan of the Ice Barrier, and Geomancer of the Ice Barrier.

"Having done that, I get to destroy one of your cards, AND Special Summon an Ice Barrier Monster from my hand.

"So, I'll destroy Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon..."

Drago gasped as his ace Monster shattered into pixels.

"...and then summon General Gantala of the Ice Barrier!"

In another aura of blue energy, a muscleman even more hulking than Drago appeared in front of Karl. He was bald, with dark skin, wearing green pantaloons, no shirt, and blue gauntlets that had an icy sheen to them. On his forehead was a tattoo of a snowflake. (2,700 ATK)

"He's not the only Monster I'm summoning," continued Karl. "I'll Normal Summon the Tuner Monster, Geomancer of the Ice Barrier."

The blue aura appeared again, and a young girl in a blue dress, long pigtails in her hair, and a hat like Strategist's, appeared between Gantala and Pilgrim. (800 ATK)

"Now, I'll Tune her and Pilgrim together..."

Geomancer and Pilgrim flew into the sky. They slowly faded away, turning into seven glowing stars. Karl chanted.

"_Prince regent of the icy tundra, mighty enforcer of the higher powers while possessing power in your own right... Clustering stars combine to defend the Ice Barrier once more!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

The Monster that appeared was clearly a Dragon, and appeared to have been sculpted completely out of ice. It glowed with a pale, soft light. Then it let out a roar. (2,500 ATK)

_Huh... _thought Drago. _Was kinda expecting Brionac..._

Karl took two cards from his hand, Samurai of the Ice Barrier and Caravan of the Ice Barrier.

"Now, by discarding these two cards," he said, as he discarded them, "I can destroy two of your cards.

"Wipe out his Red-Eyes and Rare Metal Dragon with Freezing Lance!"

Gungnir breathed a concentrated beam of freezing energy, hitting Red-Eyes Black Dragon and then Rare Metal Dragon and freezing them solid. The two Dark Dragons shattered into frozen shards.

"Time to go on the offensive!" he said. "General... Attack Axe Dragonute with shattering strike!"

General Gantala leapt at the Dragon-man, and smashed it to pieces with a mighty karate chop.

"Gungnir, attack directly! Polar blast!"

Drago tried to shield himself as the Dragon turned its icy attack on him, but he was still knocked down on his behind.

**(K: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,800)**

Drago growled.

"I'll set two facedown cards," said Karl.

He set his last two cards, and two reversed cards appeared in two flashes of light.

"Then I'll move to my End Phase and activate Gantala's effect," continued Karl. "I get to Special Summon an Ice Barrier Monster from my Graveyard."

Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,000 DEF)

"And that also means my Trap activates," said Drago.

His facedown card flipped up.

"It's a little thing called Shock Draw. Because I took 3,000 points of damage that round, I get to draw three cards."

He made three draws.

"Now, it's my move..."

He made a fourth draw.

"I play the Spell Card, Ancient Rules," he said. "It lets me Special Summon a Normal Monster, no matter how powerful it is."

"Going to summon another Red-Eyes?" asked Karl.

"Naw," said Drago. "I've got something better... The mighty Tri-Horned Dragon!"

There was an explosion on Drago's side of the field, and a fierce-looking Dragon with black scales, long claws, and horns all over its body, including three on is head, emerged from it. It looked at Karl and drooled. (2,850 ATK)

"Next, I summon Exploder Dragon," continued Drago.

He played another card, and a smaller Dragon with grey scales carrying a bomb in its front claws appeared, hovering over the field. (1,000 ATK)

"When Exploder Dragon is destroyed by battle, so is the Monster that destroyed it, and I don't take any damage.

"So..."

Exploder Dragon took flight, flying over Gantala. It dropped its bomb, and an explosion incinerated both Monsters.

"Tri-Horned Dragon, destroy his Dragon!" commanded Drago.

The Dark Dragon roared, and slashed with its terrible claws. Gungnir let out a shriek, and shattered into shards of ice.

"I'll set a card, and it's your move," said Drago.

**(K: 4,350) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,800)**

Karl made a draw.

_Dewdark... _he thought, looking at it. _He's a Level 2 Tuner, so I could Tune him with Pilgrim to summon Brionac. _

_Trouble is, I'd have no cards in my hand after that, so I wouldn't be able to use Brionac's effect..._

He looked at his facedown cards.

_But if he destroys Dewdark on his turn, I can use Call of the Haunted to summon him next turn, and _then _I'd be able to use Brionac's effect._

He set Dewdark's card, and then nodded.

Drago drew a card.

He quickly set it, and a reversed card appeared behind Tri-Horned Dragon.

Then he pointed, and the Dragon lunged at Karl's reversed card. A veiled assassin dressed in purple holding two daggers appeared on the card, and then was crushed.

"I end my turn," said Drago.

Karl drew a card. He looked at it.

"Trap Card, activate!" shouted Drago.

"Huh?" asked Karl.

"Cloak and Dagger," said Drago. "I get to name any Monster I can think of, and if that Monster shows its face, it's removed from play.

"Think I'll name... Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier."

Karl glared at him.

_He was expecting me to use Brionac... _he thought. _Well, surprise, surprise... Everyone expects it..._

_You know, come to think of it, if I lived in the Ice Barrier, I'd be pretty mad at Brionac for hogging all the attention. The Ice Barrier is home to many diverse and interesting beings... He isn't the sole resident._

_Well, fine... I'll win this duel without using Brionac at all..._

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he shouted. "I'm bringing back Dewdark of the Ice Barrier."

His facedown card lifted up, and the veiled assassin appeared, making a threatening gesture with his two daggers. (1,200 ATK)

"Then, I activate Limit Reverse," he said, as his other facedown card lifted up. "I'll use it to bring back Caravan of the Ice Barrier."

A merchant dressed as a Sherpa mounted on a creature that looked like a cross between a dragon and a snail appeared. Sacks, packages, and bags were secured to its back. (500 ATK)

"Then, I summon Geisha of the Ice Barrier," he said, playing the card he had just drawn.

In another aura of blue energy, a young woman appeared, dressed in, as her name suggested, the regalia of a geisha. Her kimono had a blue design, like the other Ice Barrier Monsters, and wasn't as long or as loose as the typical kimono; it was tied with a tight obi (the most elaborate part, as befit a geisha) and seemed designed for freedom of movement. (1,500 ATK)

"A geisha?" said Drago, in disbelief. "What's she gonna do, dance and serve tea?"

"She does that, sure," said Karl, "but she can do far more. And I have other Synchros I can summon... I Tune together Dewdark and Pilgrim..."

The two Ice Barrier Monsters leapt up, and flew into the sky. They slowly faded, and turned into six glowing stars.

"_Noble beast of the frozen north! Command your territory of ice and snow with your mighty roar of pride!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon... Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier!"_

With a roar, a large tiger with blue, frost-covered fur, and a black breastplate with gold design, bounded onto the field. He looked up at the setting sun, and let out another mighty roar. (2,000 ATK)

"Not a bad entrance," said Drago, "but he can't match my Dragon."

"Oh really?" said Karl. "You might say that Dewloren is the opposite of Brionac. See, while Brionac usually sends cards back to my opponent's hand, Dewloren's effect requires me to send face-up cards back to MY hand.

"So, I'm sending Caravan, Geisha, Call of the Haunted, and Limit Reverse back to my hand..."

The two Monsters and two Traps vanished, and four cards appeared in Karl's hand.

"...and for each one, Dewloren gains 500 Attack Points."

(4,000 ATK)

"Hold on..." said Drago.

"Attack Tri-Horned Dragon!" shouted Karl. "Roar of the North Wind!"

Dewloren made a mighty roar, sending a storm of sleet and snow at Tri-Horned Dragon. The Dragon staggered under the chilling cold before it shattered into frozen shards.

"Ergh..." grunted Drago.

Karl took Call of the Haunted and Limit Reverse, and re-set them in his Disk.

"I end my turn, which means my Tiger's score returns to 2,000," said Karl. "It's your move."

**(K: 4,350) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 3,650)**

Drago grumbled, and drew a card.

He set both of his cards in his Disk, and two reversed cards appeared, one in his Spell Zone, and one in his Monster Zone.

"End!" he said.

Karl made a draw.

Call of the Haunted lifted up again.

"This time I'm using it to bring back Samurai of the Ice Barrier," he said.

In a flourish of wind and snow, an intimidating figure appeared next to the Tiger King. He was wearing the traditional armor of the Samurai, but it had an icy, cold sheen to it. He carried a nasty-looking katana blade. (1,800 ATK)

"Next, I'm summoning Geisha again," continued Karl.

He played the card, and Geisha reappeared. She unfolded two colorful fans. (1,500 ATK)

"Then, I'm sending Samurai and Call of the Haunted back to my hand to power up Dewloren again."

Samurai and the Trap Card vanished, and the Tiger King glowed with energy. (3,000 ATK)

"Geisha, attack!" he commanded. "Razor fans of death!"

Geisha made a graceful pose… Then she hurled her two fans forward, throwing them like lethal spinning blades…

A sinister-looking grim reaper holding a scythe appeared on the card. (200 DEF)

"That's my Spirit Reaper," said Drago. "Looks like your Tiger can't touch me."

"Want a bet?" asked Karl, as he threw a card into his Disk. "I play Enemy Controller, to move your Reaper to Attack Mode."

Spirit Reaper stood up, and held its scythe in front menacingly. (300 ATK)

"Of course, that destroys it."

Spirit Reaper shattered into pixels.

"Dewloren, attack him directly!"

The Tiger King breathed a cone of icy frost at the gangster, and he grunted as it hit him.

"Hmm..." said Karl, as the mist started to clear.

**(K: 4,350) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,650)**

"HUH?" said Karl. "You _gained _Life Points?"

Then he noticed Drago's activated Trap Card.

"Nutrient Z, huh?" he said. "It let you gain 4,000 Life Points before you lost any..."

_Well, this deck might work against Jalal's, _he thought. _Maybe._

He re-set Call of the Haunted, and it appeared with a flash of light.

"I end my turn," he said.

"Then I draw one card," said Drago, making a draw.

He fit it into his Disk.

"And I can play it too... The Beginning of the End. Because I have seven Dark Monsters in my Graveyard, I can remove five of them from play to draw three cards."

He took Spirit Reaper, Red-Eyes Black Chick, Rare Metal Dragon, Tri-Horned Dragon, and Axe Dragonute from his discard slot, and pocketed them. Then he made three draws.

"Think I'll use them," he said, as he looked them over. "I Special Summon Vice Dragon."

In an aura of dark energy, the same Dragon that Scully had used appeared on the field. (2,000 ATK) –) (1,000 ATK)

"Then, I'll sacrifice it..."

Vice Dragon turned into a shifting orb of dark energy.

"...to summon White-Horned Dragon!"

With another roar, another large Dragon appeared. It was gaunt, with red scales, had large wings, and a unicorn-like horn growing from its forehead. (2,200 ATK)

"By summoning this guy, I can remove up to five Spell Cards in your Graveyard from play," continued Drago. "However, you've only used three."

Moray of Greed, Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier, and Enemy Controller appeared and then disappeared into nothing.

"And White-Horned Dragon absorbs their magical power, gaining 300 Attack Points for each one."

(3,100 ATK)

"Next, I give it an Equip Spell," he said, playing his last card. "It's called Fighting Spirit. It gives White-Horned 300 more Attack Points for each Monster you have."

(3,700 ATK)

"Skewer that Tiger!" he commanded. "Horn drive buster!"

White-Horned Dragon roared, and flew at Dewloren, using its horn like a lance. Dewloren roared in death throes and then shattered.

"Of course, now that he's out of the way, Fighting Spirits' effect is reduced," he continued.

(3,400 ATK)

"But, it has another effect... If you manage to bring back that Tiger and attack, White-Horned can survive if I get rid of the Equip.

"It's your move."

**(K: 2,650) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,650)**

Karl sighed, and made a draw.

"Any ideas, Sal?" he whispered.

"_Well, Karl," _replied the AI. _"If he wants to meet your boss so much, why disappoint him?"_

Karl paused.

He looked at the cards in his hand. Then at Geisha and at his two facedown cards.

"Yeah!" he said.

His Limit Reverse lifted up, and Geomancer of the Ice Barrier reappeared. (800 ATK)

Then he played a card, and Caravan of the Ice Barrier appeared again. (500 ATK)

"I Tune together Geomancer, Caravan, and Geisha..." he said.

The three Monsters flew into the sky, Geomancer, the Tuner, leading the way, with the other two following close behind. The three of them faded into light, and then into eight glowing stars.

"_Heir to a legacy of a lord of Shadows! Prince and founder with a great destiny! Come to lead your troops into battle once again!"_

**(*3 + *1 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Dragonprince Jalal!"_

As the last words of the chant faded, a glowing radiant form descended from the sky. He was a knight, right down to the shining armor that seemed to be made from a scarlet hide of a scaled reptile, but still of the best design. His face, while handsome, had sharp features and hints of gold in the complexion, with pointed ears, and long, golden locks of hair. It was the avatar of Jalal Stormbringer, the half-dragon founder and leader of the Shadowchasers. This card, which he put a little bit of his soul into before giving it to each new Shadowchaser, was each Shadowchaser's most important belonging. (2,500 ATK)

"I suppose you're gonna use that guy's effect to use the Inferno Fire Blast in my Graveyard?" asked Drago. "Well, go ahead... I can take it, and losing 2,400 Life Points will still leave me standing."

Karl chuckled.

"What's so funny?" asked Drago.

"I said that this was Dragonprince Jalal," he said. "Not Jalal the Dragonborn. This is the Mach-2 version of Jalal's card. He did a total makeover of the card just last month.

"See, it all started when a rebellious member of the Shadowchasers decided to abuse the card. He made a special deck containing powerful Spells and Traps like Huge Revolution and Mega Ton Magical Cannon to take advantage of the card's effect.

"He thought Jalal would never find out. Big mistake. He knows _everything _that happens concerning one of those cards.

"That Shadowchaser was punished, and Jalal went into a meeting with his advisors. He decided for a change across the board, to make a different, less powerful version of his card. He had to cast a powerful spell and meditate for a week to change the ones that were already in use, but it will be worth it.

"Let me explain how this new version works. For each Monster I used for the Synchro Summon, Dragonprince Jalal gains one Fortune Counter. Thus, he has three.

"I can now activate one of three effects, depending on how many Counters I expend. And I'm going to expend all three to use the most powerful effect, to destroy one card on the field!"

Jalal swung his sword forward, and three orbs of light shot towards White-Horned Dragon. It roared, and then shattered into pixels.

"Uh-oh..." said Drago.

"I still have Jalal's regular attack!" said Karl. "Attack him directly! Runic blade slash!"

The avatar of the founder charged at the mob thug, and Drago hollered as the blade made a slash across his torso.

**(K: 2,650) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,150)**

"Okay, that hurt..." he sneered, holding his chest, "but I'm not done yet..."

Karl's Call of the Haunted flipped up. General Gantala appeared once again. (2,700 ATK)

"I forgot all about that guy!" exclaimed Drago.

"Attack him directly and finish this!" shouted Karl. "Shattering strike!"

Gantala leapt at Drago, hitting him with a mighty karate chop and sending him to the floor.

**(K: 2,950) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 0)**

Drago groaned as he got up.

"All right Drago," said Karl, as his two Monsters vanished. "What's this thing that we're gonna want to know?"

Drago rubbed his head, and stood up.

Then he reached into his pocket and took something out. He looked at it.

"Catch," he said, tossing it to Karl.

Karl caught it.

It was an amulet. The same strange amulet that Nichole had found on the Mean Emcee.

"So what in the world is this?" he asked.

Drago turned to leave.

"You're the genius," he said, over his shoulder. "You can figure it out..."

Karl watched as the thug walked away into the darkness. Then he looked at it again, the strange, two-stepped, upside-down pyramid made of a black substance...

Just looking at it made him nervous...

"_You got me on this, Karl," _said Sal. _"There's nothing like it in my hard drive either..."_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the penthouse, Ben was amusing himself by watching the two Guinea pigs in the cage next to the computer.

One of them had black and white fur, in a swirled pattern. The other had maple-colored fur. But what made the small rodents stand out was that they were about twice the size of regular Guinea pigs.

"I see you've met Elizabeth and Josephine," said Bartholomew, as he walked into the room.

"How'd they get so big?" asked Ben.

"Hmm..." said Bartholomew with a frown. "Dugan and the others found them in the lair of a vykker who was performing illegal biological experiments... Flesh grafts and hormonal injections. His one human subject died a very agonizing death.

"They took him down before it got too serious, but most of the poor animals he had been experimenting on had to be euthanized. Those two were lucky – aside from one growth spurt, they were healthy. Karl keeps them as pets now.

"Come on, I made up the guest room..."

Ben was shocked when he saw how nice the guest room was. He would have been happy sleeping on the couch, but here was a queen-sized bed in a spacious room with a private bath.

"If you need clean towels or clean linens, or anything like that, I'm just down the hall," said the brownie. "So... How long do you think you'll be staying with us?"

"Dunno..." said Ben. "As long as it takes to get my memory back, I suppose... I have to say it worries me...

"I might have a wife and kids out there somewhere, for all I know... And they might be worried sick about where I am..."

"Don't worry about it," said Bartholomew. "The Shadowchasers have connections everywhere... The FBI, Interpol, Scotland Yard, you name it... Sooner later, if someone is looking for you, we'll find out who you are."

In the other room, Dugan was speaking on a video phone with someone.

"No match?" he said. "This guy's fingerprints aren't on file?"

"No Dugan," said the man on the other end, who had a clear British accent. "And I also checked the missing persons' reports… No-one has filed any report of someone matching his description missing.

"And… Well… We checked both _Dawson's Encyclopedia of Shadow _and _Topson's Guide to the Other Side… _Neither has any record of a species matching his appearance ever showing up on Earth. Frankly, we're stumped."

Dugan rubbed his chin.

"What about Morgana's Kin?" he asked. "Don't they have some sort of super-library somewhere?"

"Dugan, Dugan!" laughed the man. "You're talking about the Origin Universe. Yes, it's supposedly the biggest store of information in the cosmos… But we can't ask Ms. Garret to go to the archives of the gods for every problem we have.

"This may be a special case, so I'll see if Jalal can at least talk to her. One of her colleges may know something about green elves. Until then, I'll try to dig deeper with what I have."

Dugan shrugged and hung up. He looked in the direction where Ben was talking to Bartholomew.

_So he's not a new arrival... _he thought. _And with no fingerprint record, he likely wasn't born on Earth..._

_So where the heck did you come from, Ben?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GEISHA OF THE ICE BARRIER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Water  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 1,700

**Card Description: **Once per turn, when you control another "Ice Barrier" Monster, you can activate this card's effect by revealing any number of "Ice Barrier" Monsters in your hand. For each Monster revealed, you can place 1 of your opponent's face-up Spell or Trap Cards in set position. Cards set in this manner cannot be activated during the turn this effect is used.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DRAGONPRINCE JALAL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 1,900

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

When this card is Synchro Summoned, place 1 "Fortune Counter" on this card for each Monster used in the Synchro Summoning. Once per turn, during your turn, you may remove any number of "Fortune Counters" from this card to activate the appropriate effect.  
1 Counter: Select 1 card on the field and place it in set position (if a Monster Card is chosen, switch it to Defense Position).  
2 Counters: Draw 1 card from your deck.  
3 Counters: Destroy 1 card on the field.

_Note: Credit for this card's creation goes to fanfic author Darkblur. Kudos to him!_

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_**Next:**_

_**Ben: I'm forced to duel again, but this time, my opponent is no lustful drunk... Rather he's a murderous sociopath who the Shadowchasers have been after for years. If I didn't know his powers were impeded, I would have fled... And I would have anyway if not for one thing... He seems to know who I am. **_

_**Can I beat this lunatic? I hope so, because looking at my first hand, something strange is going on... This duel is going to be quite different...**_

"_**Demon Clad in Armor; The Dread Emperor" is coming soon.**_

_**I will know the truth.**_


	5. Demon Clad in Armor The Dread Emperor

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**DUEL FIVE**

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**Demon Clad in Armor**

**The Dread Emperor**

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The sun rose. Morning came to the city of Chicago, and the sun slowly made its way across the sky, turning morning into noon.

Over the years, while most of Chicago got better, one part got worse. The worst part of the South Side was an area that was properly called South Deering. The Wisconsin Steel Works once dominated this area, but after it closed, it collapsed into urban decay. The bordering neighborhood of Riverdale was almost as bad, but the water reclamation plant made that area a little more vital.

What's more, South Deering had a history of producing some of Chicago's most notorious criminals. Richard Speck, a killer who murdered eight student nurses, lived here. So did Jon Burge, a detective in the Chicago Police Department who was convicted in 2010 of torturing over two-hundred suspects to gain confessions. The controversial radio host Sherman Skolnick, known for his anti-government views and his willingness to make them public, came from this neighborhood.

No-one called South Deering by that name any more. Someone had called the crime-ridden place "the Hive" at one point, and the name stuck. In this slum, not all criminals were humans. Dark elves, orcs, and even worse hung out, claiming the worst part of the worst part of town as their own.

In one unnamed backwater bar in this place, several Shadowkind were now drowning their sorrows in cheap beer. Three gnolls were lapping rotgut out of shallow dishes, while two bugbears were guzzling it from mugs. A collection of orcs, goblins, and other humanoids were tossing dice at another table.

The barmaid shook her head as she looked at them all. She was somewhat attractive, and made most of her tips in ways that didn't involve serving liquor. But she had a policy: She wouldn't take her clothes off in front of non-humans.

Then the door flew open, and everyone took notice. Both the barmaid and the bartender looked at the figure coming in with looks of absolute horror...

He was a tall man, clad entirely in masterwork plate armor, including a full helmet. He might have been mistaken for a noble knight in shining armor, if not for one frightening accessory: Four young children, three boys and one girl, around ten years old, clad in worn, ragged clothing, were chained to his belt via neck chains. They were utterly quiet, and simply plodded along as their captor moved.

The barmaid and the bartender shivered as he walked up to the bar.

"W-what can I get you... sir?" asked the bartender.

"Information," said the armored man, in a haunting, chilling voice.

He spread a map on the bar, and pointed to a location on it.

"I'll make a phone call," said the bartender. "Delores, give our customer anything he wants!"

The armored man sat at a table as the barmaid followed him.

"Scotch and soda," he said.

She quickly went back to the bar to get it.

As the armored man tapped his fingers impatiently, he didn't notice a group of orcs come up to his table.

"Hey!" said a voice, as a hand slammed down on his table.

The armored man looked up. He saw four orcs, and the creature who had spoken, an ogrillon.

As previously stated, an ogrillon was the offspring of a female orc and a male ogre. They inherited the strength of their fathers, but tended to have little intelligence, and even less common sense.

"You got a lot of nerve comin' in here, bub!" said the ogrillon.

"Why is that?" asked the armored man. "And by the way, my name isn't 'Bub'."

The ogrillon didn't notice the bartender and the barmaid running into the back room as he slammed a sheet of paper down on the table.

"Know what this is?" he asked.

"A wanted poster?" asked the armored man.

"A wanted poster with _your_ face on it!" chuckled the ogrillon. "The Shadowchasers are offering ten million simoleons for the guy who brings you in."

The armored man glared at him. The orcs pulled out knives, clubs, and other nasty weapons.

"That's a lot of money..." said the ogrillon. "Someone could use it to paint the town red. And we're gonna..."

The man's eyes glowed burning red. The ogrillon never got a chance to finish that sentence.

One moment later, the whole bar erupted in a fiery explosion.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, Duncan, Karl, and Nichole were in the area, along with a team of medics who had come from a hospital where St. Cuthbert's House had influence. Nothing remained of the bar except a smoldering ruin, four other buildings had been reduced to flaming wrecks, and a water main had burst, but by some miracle, there were only five fatalities.

Why was that a miracle?

Usually, a rampage by the Dread Emperor left at least twenty dead.

The three Shadowchasers had prepared for the possibility that the evil wizard would return. They were wearing padded clothing resembling flak jackets that were enchanted to resist all but the most powerful magic.

"Once again, the Dread Emperor makes a big mess..." sighed Karl.

"And he never cleans up after himself," added Nichole.

Ironically, Jasper, the ogrillon who had started the whole thing, was not among the dead. He was sitting having a gash on his forehead treated by a medic, while Dugan chewed him out.

"Whatever were you _thinking_ getting him angry?" shouted Dugan.

"I was..." moaned Jasper. "I was kinda swayed by the reward on the wanted poster..."

"Oh, you mean THIS wanted poster?" shouted Dugan.

He held up the same poster that Jasper had tried – unsuccessfully – to intimidate the Dread Emperor with. It was a little burned, but still readable.

"The one where it says right here, 'Subject is known to be a sociopath and extremely dangerous' and 'If sighted, do not try to apprehend yourself'? THIS wanted poster?"

"Look, I'm sorry!" pleaded Jasper.

"Will you sit still?" said the medic who was treating him. "You're making me get iodine all over the place."

"Yo, Shadowchasers!" shouted another medic. "You all better take a look at this..."

The three of them ran over to another wreck, where the flames were dying down. A team of Cuthbert's paramedics had four unconscious children on stretchers, being fed something from IV units.

"Are those..." said Dugan.

"Yeah, these are the children that he kept chained to himself," said one of the paramedics. "We found them, screaming hysterically in the corner of that building over there. We had to give them some sedatives to make them sleep."

The three Shadowchasers looked at each other.

"He wouldn't have willingly released his slaves unless..." said Karl.

"Unless..." said Nichole. "Unless he had no choice... Unless he was hurt and couldn't maintain the spell that kept them under control..."

"People..." said Dugan. "There's a chance that the Dread Emperor is still around here, and that he's weakened..."

That was true on both counts. The armored fiend was hiding in an alley, just across the street.

Using powerful magic carelessly sometimes caused accidents, and apparently, this time it had caused a big one. The Dread Emperor's onslaught seemed to have created a dead magic zone in a five mile radius.

In a dead magic zone, magic simply does not function. Spells cannot be cast, magic items of less than artifact power do not work, and all enchantments are broken. For a wizard like the Dread Emperor, it's a place you try to avoid at all costs. A wizard who can't cast spells is a sitting duck.

He found himself crippled, unable to cast a single spell, and unable to escape by teleportation. And the armor he wore was stylish, intimidating, and had magical enchantments, but with those enchantments not working, he now suffered from the downsides of wearing it. He had to carry its true weight, and was overheated by its lack of ventilation. He knew that fleeing on foot would be impossible – he'd collapse in two minutes. He wasn't willing to discard it either unless as a last resort – it had cost a fortune to build.

Even worse, the spell of mind control over his four slaves was broken, and he now had four hysterical, screaming children pulling at their bonds. Knowing that he'd be caught for sure if he tried to drag four unwilling captives with him, he undid the chains and let them go.

He didn't know what to do now... For now, he was searching for an opportunity, hoping that one would appear.

Then he turned, and saw that someone had found him. Ben was standing there, ten feet in front of him.

"The Dread Emperor?" said Ben, in a frightened tone.

"Get out of my way, toad, or I'll turn you to mud," ordered the wizard.

Ben was about to oblige, when the Dread Emperor said something.

"Wait... It's you..."

"Huh?" said Ben.

"You..." said the Dread Emperor. "The survivor..."

"You know who I am?" exclaimed Ben.

The Dread Emperor chuckled.

"So, what are you calling yourself now?" he asked. "What name is yours this time?"

"Uh..." said Ben. "Ben, I guess..."

"Ben?" said the Dread Emperor. "Kind of pathetic given all you've been through..."

"What do you know?" demanded Ben, forgetting how dangerous this man was. "Who am I?"

"Let me pose a question to you," said the Dread Emperor. "What can change the nature of man?"

Ben gave him a strange look.

"Seems like a question for philosophers," he replied.

"Indeed," replied the Dread Emperor. "Seeing as I am no philosopher, and I can honestly give no answer to that question...

"But... I do know that _you _once answered that question with confidence."

Ben glared at him.

"What do you know?" he demanded. "Tell me!"

"Humph..." said the Dread Emperor.

He gave Ben a long look. Then he looked around and behind him.

Then he reached behind his back. Ben took a step back nervously before realizing he was reaching for a Duel Disk.

The Dread Emperor fit it into a special slot on his left gauntlet that had apparently been put there for that purpose.

"Defeating you might make this trip salvageable..." he said. "It has been a while, but I can still fight via this juvenile card game. Duel me… Win, and I might tell you something..."

_He's going to duel me? _thought Ben. _Why? Is something wrong with his magic?_

_Still… If someone offers you an even chance… It's best to take it…_

"I accept," he said.

The two of them activated their Duel Disks.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Dread Emperor: 8,000)**

"I insist," said the Emperor, "you go first."

As Ben drew his opening hand, he noticed something right away.

_This isn't the deck I used against that satyr!_ he thought. _This is a whole different deck!_

"What are you waiting for?" asked the Dread Emperor. "An engraved invitation?"

Ben made a sixth draw.

"I summon Vision Hero Minimum Ray!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a violet prism of light appeared on the field. It shattered, revealing a superhero wearing robotic armor, with one eye on his helmet. (1,200 ATK)

"Bah!" said the Dread Emperor. "Hero Monsters... They turn my stomach..."

"Well don't get sick now," said Ben.

He threw three cards into his Disk, and three facedown cards materialized.

"That might get awfully messy, seeing as you're wearing that helmet.

"I end my turn."

"Another thing that sickens me is people who tell stupid jokes!" said the Dread Emperor.

He made his first draw.

"I play the Stray Lambs Spell Card."

In two puffs of white smoke, two little lambs appeared in front of him. (0 DEF x2)

"I'm not allowed to summon because I used that card, so that will be all for now."

_Huh? _thought Ben. _I go up against one of the most infamous black sorcerers in the world... And all he does on his first turn is summon a couple of Lamb Tokens?_

He made a draw.

"I summon another Vision Hero..." he said. "Multiply Guy!"

The violet prism appeared again, and then shattered, revealing another armored hero, this one all in black, with a horned helmet. (800 ATK)

"Now, my two Vision Heroes attack your Tokens!"

Multiply Guy dashed at one of the Lambs, leaving a trail of illusory copies of himself in his wake. With one punch, the Token was atomized.

Then Minimum Ray blasted a ray of energy from his helmet's optic sensor, eradicating the other one.

"It's your move," said Ben.

"And you took the bait, just as I'd hoped," said the Dread Emperor.

He drew a card.

"Now that you have two Monsters on your side of the field, my strategy can begin in earnest."

It took a minute for Ben to realize what he meant, but he knew enough to stand aside as the two Vision Heroes vanished in bonfires of flame. The huge, hideous form of Lava Golem rose on his side of the field. (3,000 ATK)

"It's going to take more than, that!" said Ben.

"I have more!" said the Dread Emperor. "Never let it be said that I'm not generous. I also Special Summon Grinder Golem to your side of the field."

Ben stepped back in shock as another giant Fiend appeared to the other side of him. This one was metal, and covered with spikes, clamps, chains, and rotary saws. (3,000 ATK)

"By doing so, two Grinder Tokens are summoned to my side of the field."

Two miniature versions of Grinder Golem appeared in front of the Dread Emperor. (0 ATK x2)

"So I've got two Monsters with 3,000 Attack Points..." said Ben, ominously. "Not sure I want them..."

"You don't want them?" asked the Dread Emperor. "Very well... I'll take them off your hands..."

He played a Spell Card.

"By activating Owner's Seal, all Monsters on the field return to the control of their true owners."

All of a sudden, the Dread Emperor's strategy became only too clear. The Lava Golem and Grinder Golem vanished from Ben's side of the field, and reappeared on his.

"Lava Golem, attack that runt directly!" he commanded.

The giant Fiend lifted its fist.

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Ben, as one of his facedown cards shot up. "A Hero Emerges!"

"Huh?" said the Dread Emperor.

"Now you have to choose a card in my hand," said Ben, holding up his remaining two cards. "If it's a Monster, I get to Special Summon it.

"So, right or left?"

"Left!" shouted the Dread Emperor.

"Too bad," said Ben. "I Special Summon Vision Hero Farris!"

The prism appeared again, and then once again, shattered. Another armored hero appeared, this one with oversized, clawed gauntlets. (1,600 ATK)

"And by summoning him, I get to take a Vision Hero from my deck, and send it to the Graveyard."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he discarded it.

"Fool..." said the Dread Emperor. "You should have summoned that Monster in Defense Mode...

"Lava Golem... Continue your attack!"

"I activate another Trap!" shouted Ben.

Another Trap Card lifted up.

"Invincible Hero! Now, for this round only, my Warrior-Type Monster is unbeatable by battle!"

Lava Golem's fist struck Farris, and Ben grunted in pain.

"You saved your Monster, but you'll still take damage," said the Dread Emperor.

"I _wanted _to," said Ben, with a grin. "Now I can activate Minimum Ray's effect."

"Minimum Ray?" asked the Dread Emperor. "But that Monster is in your Graveyard."

"Exactly," said Ben. "When he's there, and I take damage, I can put him in my Spell Zone, just like a Continuous Spell."

A holographic image, looking like a translucent Minimum Ray, appeared behind Farris.

"I'm not done with you!" shouted the Dread Emperor. "Grinder Golem, you next!"

Grinder Golem's mighty fist slammed into Farris, and Ben grunted again.

"I activate Multiply Guy's effect!" he exclaimed. "Which is the same as Minimum Ray's."

A holographic Multiply Guy appeared next to the holographic Minimum Ray.

"And just what do your Vision Heroes do while they're there?" asked the Dread Emperor.

"On their own, nothing," replied Ben. "But they will have uses later on."

The Dread Emperor gave a cold glare.

"I end my turn…" he said.

**(B: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 8,000)**

Ben nervously made a draw.

His last facedown card lifted up, which was Call of the Haunted.

"I Special Summon Vision Hero Vaion to the field," he said.

Another hero, this one with an armored muscle suit and a fin on the back of his helmet, appeared next to Farris. (1,000 ATK)

"Go, Farris!" he shouted. "Destroy one of those Grinder Tokens!"

Farris leapt at the Token, and with one slash of a claw, tore it in half.

"Vaion, destroy the other Token!"

Vaion lifted his hand, and called lightning to it. He shot it forward, vaporizing the other Token.

"Ergh..." said the Dread Emperor.

Ben set a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"I'm done..." he said.

**(B: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 5,400)**

The Dread Emperor made a draw.

"Don't forget," said Ben, "having Lava Golem on your side of the field will cost you 1,000 Life Points per turn."

"Yes, that is a problem," said the Dread Emperor.

He quickly played a Spell Card.

"But thanks to Spell of Pain, this round, it's _your _problem."

Ben cringed as a burning feeling tore through him.

"And don't forget, I have two Monsters with 3,000 Attack Points apiece..."

"Which you won't be attacking with this turn," said Ben, as his facedown card lifted up. "I activate Threatening Roar!"

The Dread Emperor paused.

"In that case," he said, "I'll set a Monster and a facedown card, and end my turn."

A vertical set card appeared, followed by a horizontal one.

Then they were interrupted by a voice that screamed, "Freeze!"

Dugan, Karl, and Nicole rushed into the alley, Dugan and Karl holding swords, Nichole armed with a military-issue crossbow.

"It's the end of the line, Dread Emperor!" shouted Dugan.

"You know, your majesty," said Karl, sarcastically, "for an archvillain, you aren't very bright."

"Dueling when the authorities are looking for you just a block away is a _really _bad idea," said Nichole.

"Shadowchasers!" exclaimed the fiend. "Make one move and I'll turn you into frogs..."

"Don't bluff," said Karl. "We found out about the dead magic zone. You're powerless."

"Keep your hands where we can see them, bub," said Nichole, as she pointed the crossbow. "You may be wearing armor, but I can hit the seams with this. I'll bet I can even hit the eye holes."

The Dread Emperor looked at them. He didn't know what to do. It seemed it truly _was _the end of the line...

He started to lift his hands.

"Guys, wait!" shouted Ben.

"Huh?" said Dugan. "Ben?"

"Ben, how'd you even get here?" asked Nichole.

"I'm... Not sure..." said Ben. "Look... Without his powers, this guy is no threat. Can we just finish the duel?"

"Ben, are you insane?" said Karl. "He's a killer! Even if you were a Shadowchaser, he forfeited his right to the Fair Fight Clause years ago!"

"I know," said Ben. "He's despicable and beneath contempt. The thing is... He might know who I am.

"He seemed to recognize me... And he won't tell me what he knows unless I beat him!"

Nichole turned to Dugan.

"It's up to you, chief," she said. "How long do dead magic zones usually last?"

"Anywhere from a decade to a couple thousand years," said Dugan. "Okay, Emperor, we'll let this duel finish... But if you make even one false move..."

Nichole's finger tensed on the trigger of the crossbow.

"I believe it was Ben's turn," said Dugan.

**(B: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 5,400)**

Ben drew a card.

"I play... Swords of Revealing Light!"

He threw the card into his Disk, and a rain of shimmering swords fell, surrounding the Dread Emperor.

His facedown Monster flipped up, revealing a Morphing Jar. (600 DEF)

Both players discarded one card, and then drew five. Ben looked them over.

"I sacrifice Vision Hero Farris and Vision Hero Vaion..." he said.

Both Heroes turned into a bigger prism of violet light.

"...to summon Vision Hero Witch Reid!"

The prism burst, and a female figure appeared, dressed in a witch's outfit and hat, holding a device that looked like a cross between a magical staff and a science fiction blaster rifle. (2,700 ATK)

"By Normal Summoning Witch Reid, all of your Spell and Trap Cards are destroyed," continued Ben. "So, show him that old black magic!"

Witch Reid fired a blast from her weapon, and the Dread Emperor's set Nightmare Wheel was blown to pieces.

"Now, a powerful Spell Card," continued Ben, as he played another card. "Vision Polymerization!"

"Vision Polymerization?" exclaimed the Dread Emperor.

"A special Fusion card made especially for Vision Heroes," said Ben. "It lets me fuse them together when they're in my Spell Zone.

"So... I fuse together Minimum Ray and Multiply Guy..."

The two holograms leapt into the air, and turned into two swirls of violet light.

"...to Fusion Summon... Vision Hero Adoration!"

In a burst of light, a more intimidating armored figure appeared. His armor was more solid, and he wore a helmet and mask, along with a flowing cape. (2,800 ATK)

"I can use Adoration's effect once per turn," said Ben. "By doing so, he reduces the Attack Points of one of your Monsters by the Attack Points of another of my Monsters with the word 'Hero' in its name. So... He's going to reduce Grinder Golem's Attack Score by Witch Reid's Attack Score."

Grinder Golem groaned, and glowed with dark energy. (300 ATK)

"Adoration, take down that abomination!" he shouted. "Vision beams!"

Adoration's eyes glowed, and he shot a bolt of burning energy from them. The Dread Emperor groaned as Grinder Golem was blown to bits.

Ben pointed, and Witch Reid blasted her weapon, blowing Morphing Jar to dust.

"I end my turn," said Ben. "Don't forget, my Swords prevent you from attacking for three turns..."

**(B: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 2,900)**

"Good lord..." said Nichole. "Could Ben actually beat this guy?"

"No one has _ever _gotten the better of the Dread Emperor..." added Karl. "Not in spell battle, Duel Monsters... Anything!"

_And if I lose this duel, in addition to going to jail, I'll be humiliated! _thought the Dread Emperor.

_It's not going to happen... Even when they drag me to the death chamber, I'm still going to have my pride..._

He drew a card.

"I chain Mystik Wok to my Draw Phase," he said, as he played a card. "I'll get rid of Lava Golem and gain 3,000 Life Points before I'm hurt by it."

Lava Golem vanished, and he glowed with golden energy.

"I'll set a Monster, and end my turn."

A hidden Monster materialized.

**(B: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 5,900)**

Ben drew a card.

He looked at the four cards in his hand: Vision Hero Poisoner, De-Fusion, Fusion Recovery, and The Warrior Returning Alive.

_I could summon Poisoner..._ he thought._ Or use The Warrior Returning Alive to get back someone else..._

_But they're all rather weak, and an attack by one of his big guns could be devastating. I'd better make do with what I've got._

"Witch Reid, attack his Monster!"

Witch Reid fired her weapon...

Marshmallon appeared on the card. Ben grunted as nausea hit him. (500 DEF)

"That's all I can do..." he muttered.

**(B: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 5,900)**

The Dread Emperor made a draw.

He quickly threw three cards into his Disk, and three set cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

"It's your move..." he said, slowly.

Ben drew.

It was Destruction Jammer.

_Might come in handy later, _he thought.

He set it in his Disk, and then waved to signal the end of his turn.

The Dread Emperor made a draw.

"All right... 'Ben'," he said. "I'm playing Card of Variation.

"I get to draw two cards... But... I must discard a card at the end of my turn, or I take 3,000 points of damage.

"I should warn you, if I manage to draw my second Lava Golem, this duel ends here..."

He made two draws. He looked at them.

"Okay, you're safe," he said.

_For now, _he thought.

"First, I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" he exclaimed.

He played the Spell, and the ferocious cyclone blew the shimmering swords away.

"Crud!" shouted Nichole. "Now he can attack!"

"And I will, once I activate this..." said the Dread Emperor.

One of his Trap Cards activated.

"Rainbow Life!"

An aura of shimmering, multicolored energy surrounded him, as he discarded a card.

"Now, any time this round when I would take damage, I gain the amount instead.

"Next, I'm summoning a second Grinder Golem to your side of the field."

Once again, the hideous metal Fiend appeared on Ben's side of the field (3,000 ATK) as two smaller versions appeared on the Dread Emperor's. (0 ATK x2)

"Now, Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed, as another Trap Card lifted up. "I'll bring back a Monster that I discarded when Morphing Jar was flipped... Chthonian Soldier!"

A sinister-looking Warrior wearing black armor and holding a serrated sword appeared in front of the Dread Emperor. (1,200 ATK)

"Chthonian Solider, attack his Grinder Golem!"

The Dark Warrior charged at the huge Fiend. It reached out with a giant claw, and crushed him.

Then the Soldier's sword spun towards Ben. He let out a cry of pain as it struck him.

"Due to Chthonian Soldier's effect, you take as much damage as I take," said the Dread Emperor. "Or as much as I _would _take. Thanks to Rainbow Life, I actually gain Life Points.

"Now, my final Trap..."

His last facedown card shot up.

"Remove Brainwashing! I'll be taking my Grinder Golem back..."

The huge demon vanished, and reappeared on his side of the field.

"And it's still my Battle Phase, so..."

Grinder Golem reached out and slammed it into Vision Hero Adoration, smashing him to pieces.

"Once again," said Ben, "I use the effect of Vision Hero Multiply Guy, moving him to my Spell Zone."

Multiply Guy, in holographic form, appeared in front of him.

"Moving to my second Main Phase," said the Dread Emperor, as he played his last card, "I Equip Marshmallon with Raregold Armor."

The small cream puff turned the sheen of gold.

"That means you can't attack any Monster but him. With that, I end my turn."

"Ha, ha," said Nichole. "You have no cards to discard. You forgot all about Card of Variation's side effect."

"No I didn't, fool," said the Dread Emperor.

"He's right!" said Dugan. "Until his turn truly ends, the effect Rainbow Life still coverts all damage into Life Point gain!"

**(B: 1,400) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 10,700)**

"I never realized how much fun this game could be!" laughed the Dread Emperor.

Ben paused and looked at his deck.

_Here goes nothing... _he thought.

He drew a card. It shown in the light.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," he said, playing another card.

Vision Hero Minimum Ray slipped out of his discard slot. He quickly took it, and threw it on his Disk. Minimum Ray appeared on the field. (1,200 ATK)

"Now, I use his other effect. By sacrificing Minimum Ray while he's on the field, I can move a Vision Hero from my Spell Zone to my Monster Zone."

Minimum Ray vanished, and Vision Hero Multiply Guy turned solid and leapt forward. (800 ATK)

"You've swapped one weak Monster for another!" laughed the Dread Emperor.

"Attack Points aren't everything," said Ben. "When Minimum Ray's effect is used like this, I also get to destroy one Monster."

Multiply Guy dashed forward in a blur, and Marshmallon was eradicated.

"It doesn't matter!" shouted the Dread Emperor. "My Life Points are almost ten times yours!"

"_Not_ a problem," said Ben, playing another Spell Card. "Now, I'm going to summon my ultimate Vision Hero...

"I play Polymerization!"

Lightning flashed.

"I fuse together Multiply Guy..."

Multiply Guy turned into an aura of light.

"...AND Witch Reid…"

Witch Reid did the same.

"…and from my hand, Vision Hero Poisoner!"

Another armored hero, with a hood-like helmet and a blaster in place of his left hand, appeared in front of him. It also turned into light, and the three bolts of light shot into the sky. Lightning flashed again...

"Fusion Summon the mightiest Vision Hero... Vision Hero Trinity!"

With a crash, a new Hero landed who was eight feet tall. His robotic armor was scarlet, with one optic sensor, and suggested one thing – strength. (2,500 ATK)

"And during the turn that Trinity is Fusion Summoned," continued Ben, "his Attack Points double!"

(5,000 ATK)

"You may have over ten-thousand Life Points," said Ben, with a grin, "but Trinity has the ability to attack three Monsters in one turn."

"It can?" said Karl.

"Attack!" shouted Ben. "Triple smash crash!"

Vision Hero Trinity leapt at Grinder Golem and crushed it with one punch. Then he made two more punches, squashing the two Grinder Tokens flat. The Dread Emperor let out a scream of pain...

**(B: 1,400) - - - - - - - - - - (DE: 0)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

No-one, not even the Dread Emperor, knew that the duel had three additional spectators. Sitting on three thrones in a dark room were three beings watching a large video screen.

On the central, highest throne was a male that looked like a bent, wizened old man with a beard, wearing purple and black robes.

To his right, on a throne that was more like a couch was an aboleth.

To his left was a young woman with green hair, wearing a white halter top, a miniskirt, and no shoes.

"Think he's learned his lesson?" said the old man.

"_I have my doubts," _said the aboleth's telepathic voice.

"Eh, let's get him out of there," said the young woman. "If anything, laughing in his face will be fun."

"Very well," said the old man.

The three of them started to chant.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Duel over, you lose," said Dugan to the Dread Emperor. "Now you're coming with us, Mr. Dread Emperor. You're under arrest."

The Dread Emperor slowly got up.

Then he paused. He felt something in the air.

Then his eyes started to glow again.

"Why of course, Shadowchasers..." he said, with an evil voice. "I'll do whatever you say..."

And then, the whole world came apart.

They realized what was happening, but it was too late. Bolts of lightning shot from the Dread Emperor's body, knocking them all backwards.

Dugan, Karl, and Nichole slowly got up. The Dread Emperor was gone. Through a trick of magic, he had fled. The spell he had cast when he realized the dead magic zone was gone was Chain Lightning, an advanced version of Lightning Bolt capable of hitting multiple targets. Their enchanted flak jackets had saved their lives...

But they quickly realized that one of his targets had not been wearing one...

"Ben!" gasped Dugan.

He dropped his sword and ran up to Ben's prone form. He felt for a pulse.

"Dugan, is he..." said Nichole.

Then Dugan buried his face in his hands. Nichole's hand closed around the symbol of St. Cuthbert around her neck. She closed her eyes and started to pray...

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, a coroner was looking at Ben's body, lying on a stretcher.

"Chain Lightning, huh?" he asked. "I hate to say this folks, but he likely never stood a chance."

"How could the dead magic zone have faded so quickly?" cursed Dugan. "They've never had such a limited duration..."

He looked at Ben. He sighed.

"Ben..." he said sadly. "We may never find out just who you were... But know this... Three witnesses know that you did something no-one else ever managed to do... Make a fool out the Dread Emperor."

He sighed again. He signaled to the coroner.

"There's nothing left here, people..." he said to his companions.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Dread Emperor had discovered that his spell of teleportation had brought him to the middle of a dry, featureless desert, which had clearly _not _been his destination.

"Huh?" he said. "I shouldn't have come here..."

"We brought you here," said a voice.

He turned his head, and saw a hologram. The three creatures who had been watching the duel on the screen appeared in it.

"YOU!" he shouted in anger. "You three created that dead magic zone didn't you, you filthy, sick, demented..."

"_You apologize for that right this minute," _said the aboleth, _"or we will create one twice the size of the first centered where you are standing right now... In the middle of Death Valley."_

For the first time in a long time, the infamous archvillain felt fear.

"I'm sorry," he said morosely.

"That's better," said the young woman. "Maybe now you'll learn respect for us, Dread Emperor."

"We are financing your project," said the old man. "So you will obey our rules. In the future, if we say an area is forbidden, you will not enter it! Do we make ourselves clear?

"Remember, Dread Emperor, no matter how strong you get, there is always someone who is stronger still."

"And we must say," giggled the young woman. "Seeing you pulped by that duelist was a good show…"

The Dread Emperor growled.

"You know, the only reason I risked capture to duel him was because I knew you three were angry at me…" he muttered. "Any other time, I would have agreed with that woman who said it was stupid.

"I thought it might be a good way to start getting back in good standing… My ally's enemy is my enemy… That sort of thing…"

The three creatures looked at him.

"_Why?" _asked the aboleth. _"Who was he? Is there something about him we should know?"_

"Well, it's a long story…" said the Dread Emperor. "But I have the time to tell you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VISION HERO MINIMUM RAY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 700

**Card Description: **If this card is in your Graveyard when you take Battle Damage, you can place it in your Spell/Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell. You can Tribute this card to Special Summon 1 "Vision Hero" Monster from your Spell/Trap Zone and destroy 1 Monster your opponent controls.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VISION HERO MULTIPLY GUY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 700

**Card Description: **If this card is in your Graveyard when you take Battle Damage, you can place it in your Spell/Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell. You can Tribute this card to Special Summon 1 "Vision Hero" Monster from your Spell/Trap Zone. While that Monster is face-up on the field, double its ATK.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VISION HERO POISONER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 900  
**DEF:** 700

**Card Description: **If this card is in your Graveyard when you take Battle Damage, you can place it in your Spell/Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell. You can Tribute 1 "Vision Hero" you control to Special Summon this card from your Spell/Trap Zone. If this card is Special Summoned in this manner, select one opposing Monster and halve its ATK and DEF.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VISION HERO FARRIS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **When a Level 4 or lower "Vision Hero" Monster is sent from your hand to the Graveyard, Special Summon it. When this card is Summoned, send 1 "Vision Hero" Monster from your deck to the Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VISION HERO VAION (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **When this card is Normal Summoned, send 1 Level 4 or lower "Vision Hero" Monster from your deck to the Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VISION HERO WITCH REID (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 1,900

**Card Description: **When this card is Normal Summoned, destroy all Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VISION POLYMERIZATION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Similar to "Polymerization", but with skulls replacing the dragons.

**Card Descriptions: **Select one "Vision Hero" Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck. If all necessary Fusion Material Monsters for the selected Fusion Monster are in your Spell/Trap Zone being treated as Continuous Spells, you may send them to the Graveyard to Special Summon the selected Fusion Monster. (This is treated as a Fusion Summon.)

_Note: The Vision Heroes were used by Edo in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Also note that the Type and Attribute of these Monsters is not confirmed, but have been given as Warrior/Dark because that is the Type and Attribute of the two real Vision Heroes._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INVINCIBLE HERO (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A laughing, muscular superhero on a city street at night (the city is possibly "Skyscraper"), surrounded by unconscious, masked thugs, with shadowy thugs lurking behind him.

**Card Description**: Select one Warrior-Type Monster you control. The selected Monster cannot be destroyed by battle until the End Phase of this turn.

_Note: "Invincible Hero" was first used by Judai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "A Lying Legend". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. (The effect as written is not 100% confirmed, but is an interpretation based on its use.)_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CARD OF VARIATION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A Duel Monsters card floating in clear water.

**Card Description: **Draw 2 cards. During the End Phase of the turn, either discard one card from your hand or take 3,000 points of damage.

_Note: "Card of Variation" was first used by Kenzan in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Primal Instinct". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Has Ben's quest for the truth ended before it has even begun?**_

_**Maybe... Maybe not. Next chapter, the mystery surrounding Ben continues, and in another part of town, things are happening that are strangely linked to those three guys whom even the Dread Emperor seems to be afraid of!**_

"_**Mysterious Mysteries; A Hidden Enemy" is coming soon.**_


	6. Mysterious Mysteries A Hidden Enemy

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Mysterious Mysteries**

**A Hidden Enemy**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The three Chicago Shadowchasers were now entering their penthouse.

"Dugan," said Nichole, "if you dwell too long in the house of regret, you may never leave it."

"Is that another proverb they taught you at St. Cuthbert's house?" asked Dugan.

Nichole didn't answer. Truthfully, it was, but it seemed appropriate.

Bartholomew noticed them come in. He was dusting the coffee table.

"Man, you guys look pretty grim," he said.

"Bartholomew, go change the sheets on the bed in the guest room," said Dugan, somberly. "Ben won't be coming back."

The brownie didn't say a word. He just dashed to the guest room.

"It wasn't your fault, chief!" protested Karl. "I looked up all the information I could on dead magic zones, and none of them had _ever _lasted shorter than ten years! The idea of one lasting only an hour is pretty much unheard of!"

"Karl..." said Dugan. "That's not the point... The point is, the only reason I let that duel continue was because I thought it might help Ben.

"The Dread Emperor knew who he was, or claimed he did. We could have arrested him and interrogated him, but I know his kind. No amount of interrogation that the Shadowchasers could have legally subjected him to would have made a sociopath like him talk.

"So I bent the rules and let the duel continue, hoping he'd honor his side of the bargain if he lost... That Ben would find out who he was.

"It was a stupid mistake, and no help to Ben..."

"You couldn't have known," said Nichole, putting her hand on Dugan's shoulder. "And at least Ben did make a fool out of that beast before it happened, and left us as witnesses. St. Cuthbert would have been proud of him."

"I know, I just..." said Dugan.

Then Bartholomew ran back into the living room, a frantic look on your face.

"Guys," he said, "are you sure Ben won't be coming back?"

"Yes," said Dugan, "why do you ask?"

"Because, uhm..." said Bartholomew, nervously. "Ben is asleep in the guest bedroom."

The three humans looked at each other with disbelief for a moment. But only for a moment. They quickly ran to the guest room.

Sure enough, Ben was asleep in the bed, and snoring softly.

"Is he a ghost?" asked Nichole.

Dugan felt his chin.

"Not unless ghosts have pulses..." he said, his regret now changed to fear.

Ben groaned. They stepped back as he sat up, holding his head.

"Dugan... Nichole... Karl..." he said. "Did you catch him? What happened?"

"He couldn't have survived!" exclaimed Karl. "He was hit point-blank in the chest with a Chain Lightning! The coroner..."

"Chain Lightning?" asked Ben. "What's going on?"

"Ben!" said Dugan, grabbing him by the shirt. "Listen closely...

"You defeated the Dread Emperor... And then the dead magic zone faded. He hit you with a spell that was strong enough to kill a rampaging elephant. Your heart wasn't beating, you weren't breathing, they declared you dead, and they took you away in a body bag...

"And yet... You're alive, and back here somehow... Sure, we're glad you aren't dead, but... How?"

Ben held his head again.

"Retrace your steps, Ben," said Nichole.

"Okay..." said Ben. "The last thing I remember... I was about to draw a card... I had Vision Hero Witch Reid on the field... He had Grinder Golem, Marshmallon, and two Tokens..."

"You drew Polymerization," said Nichole. "You summoned Minimum Ray to the field, used its effect to summon Multiply Guy and destroy Marshmallon, used Polymerization to summon the most badass Monster I ever saw, and wiped him out."

Ben looked at the Duel Disk that was still on his arm.

"And for some reason," he continued, "my deck changed between the time I dueled that satyr and the time I dueled the Dread Emperor. First it was Psychics… Now it's… Vision Heroes...

"Hell, I don't even know how I ended up confronting the Dread Emperor in the first place. One minute, I was dozing on the couch in the other room, and the next minute I was at that crime scene."

"Okay," said Bartholomew, "I don't need fey magic NOW to know this guy is cursed."

"He's right, you know..." said Karl.

He pointed to the Disk.

"If it was simply an enchanted Duel Disk, it wouldn't have worked in the dead magic zone. But if Ben was cursed, and this Duel Disk was somehow tied to his curse... That would be very different. It must be some device of... incredible power. Maybe even _divine _power."

"Can you take it off?" asked Nichole.

"Yeah, I took it off when I took a nap..." replied Ben. "I don't remember putting it back on..."

Dugan sighed.

"That does it..." he said. "I'm calling Jalal..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Know the truth, and know everything."

Such was the motto of TRUE, an acronym that stood for Technology Research Unlimited Enterprises.

The part of Chicago called the Gold Coast was the wealthiest part of town. Rich people, among them the bigwigs in the state government, lived in the upscale apartment buildings, and the biggest businesses made their headquarters here. One such business was the Chicago branch of TRUE, situated in one of the largest skyscrapers. The building was a landmark, and not exactly the friendliest-looking of places. Some people in the past compared it to the apartment building in _Ghostbusters _due to the gothic gargoyles on top.

TRUE was a big company, to say the least. This wasn't even their main headquarters (that was in Paris). The company had their hands in just about everything, from paper products to electronics to military and civilian aircraft. Also on the corporate roster were banks in a dozen different countries, private security providers, three internationally popular prepared food companies, two movie studios, a world-renowned think-tank, and research firms from every scientific branch and discipline. It had contracts to produce weapons for more than half the countries in NATO, as well as mainland China, India, South Africa, and Pakistan.

The CEO and founder of the company was a man named Jared Galti; folks who didn't like him (competitors, mostly) would have liked to say that he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and that everything was given to him, but it would be a lie. He was born in Norway, where his parents raised sheep for a living. But at age fourteen, he took over their finances, and turned the relatively small sheep farm into one of the most successful in Scandinavia. After money was no longer a problem, he went to school in Great Britain, obtained a scholarship to Cambridge where he majored in business and finances, and later built TRUE from the ground up. When questioned how he managed to become successful, he often said "It's a combination of luck, intuition, and timing."

Still, he rarely appeared in Chicago, where he didn't seem to have as much control over the local branch of his company as he'd like...

Inside in the public relations department, a man was being interviewed for a job. He was a young man with a trendy haircut dressed in a proper suit, carrying a briefcase. The interviewer was a heavy-set woman in her mid-fifties.

"Well, Mr. Hape..." she said. "Your resume seems okay on the surface... University of Connecticut, I see... But what unique talents do you have?"

"Well," said Hape. "Several. You might say I know things that you can't learn in the average university... You have to be... more Aware of your surroundings to pick up on them."

The woman looked at him closely.

"I see..." she said. "Can you excuse me for a minute?"

She went aside and picked up a phone.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After waiting for half an hour (which he didn't mind, as he was very patient) Hape was shown into a private room with a second interviewer. This one seemed to be of a more important status than the woman he was just with.

"So, Mr. Hape..." he said. "Do sit down..."

As Hape sat down, the man looked him over.

"Have you come here for any particular reason?"

"Well..." said Hape. "I happen to know that this branch of your company conceals a secret cell for the cult of the Chained God."

The interviewer dropped his pencil. Hape grinned.

The interviewer stepped aside and pulled out a cell phone.

"Get me Mr. Tiberius!" he whispered into it, in panic. "I don't care if he's in a meeting! This is an emergency!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, Hape was on a much higher level of the building, being escorted through a hallway by a middle-aged man with grey hair wearing a suit and a bow tie. After passing through three checkpoints, the man led him to a luxurious-looking office.

Hape didn't see who was sitting at the desk, as his back was turned to him.

"Thank you, Graves," said a voice. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Hape... Sit down..."

As Hape did so, the chair spun around, revealing the face of Ulysses Tiberius, the regional manager of this branch of TRUE.

He was a handsome man in his late forties, with short, raven-black hair, a moustache and a goatee. He was wearing a black Italian suit and tie, clearly custom tailored.

"So..." he said, "Marcus Hape... if I'm not mistaken... I should warn you, if you're wearing a wire, it won't work in this office."

"I'm not wearing a wire," said Hape. "Why so suspicious? I came here looking for a job, remember?"

"Yes..." said Tiberius. "But you know things that you shouldn't...

"I must say this is interesting... All of a sudden, a man comes into my building looking for a job... And then he seems to know the secret of this building... Not many folks come here professing to have such knowledge...

"Even fewer are allowed to live after doing so...

"What secrets are _you_ hiding, Mr. Hape?"

"I won't say," said Hape, "but I know many more secrets about your group, Mr. Tiberius. For example, I know about Lareth the Beautiful..."

Tiberius looked at him and frowned. He turned his chair slightly sideways.

"He was the Champion of Elemental Evil twenty years ago... But he was defeated by the followers of St. Cuthbert, and banished to a pocket dimension..."

"Graves, cancel my one o'clock," said Tiberius, "and give us some privacy."

"Yes sir," said Graves.

He left the room.

Tiberius stood up, and slammed both hands on the table.

"All right, mister, I want some answers!" he demanded. "Only the Doomdreamers and certain members of St. Cuthbert's order know that... I would know a fellow Doomdreamer if I saw one and you aren't one... But I can tell you aren't an enemy either.

"So who are you?"

"A messenger..." said Hape. "You see... An enemy has appeared, one whom the Shadowchasers will benefit from... But should you let me into your fold, I have a few things that will tip the scales in our balance."

Tiberius looked at him. Then he actually laughed a little. He sat back down.

"You're under the impression that we're actively opposing the Shadowchasers," he said. "You ever hear of Louis DaPen?"

"Yes," replied Hape.

"How about Empress Taramanda?" continued Tiberius. "The Horned Archduke, King Skuld, Florence Von Arquette?"

"Yeah, I've heard of them," said Hape.

"Complete morons, all of them," said Tiberius. "They directly challenged the Shadowchasers, and all of them are either dead or in prison. We don't take such risks... Our policy with them right now is, keep out of sight.

"As for letting you into our fold... You have a funny way of going about that. Usually, folks don't find us. _We _find _them._"

"Trust me," said Hape. "With this... person aiding them, a conflict between your group and theirs is inevitable. I also know of your plans. But I want to help you.

"I have some things you might be interested in..."

"Whatever could you have that we could not obtain?" asked Tiberius.

"I could simply show them to you, but..." said Hape. "Maybe a demonstration..."

He opened his briefcase and took something out.

"A Duel Disk?" asked Tiberius, with a laugh.

"You do know that Duel Monsters is the chosen method of combat among the Shadowchasers?" asked Hape. "And I know that your group has adapted..."

Tiberius narrowed his eyes.

"So, you're challenging me?" he asked. "And in a duel, you want to apply this 'demonstration'?"

He leaned back in his chair.

"Very well..." he said. "But... If this 'demonstration' turns out to be not worth my time, you'll have made the biggest mistake of your life by coming here...

"Follow me..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The room Tiberius led Hape to what looked like an empty gymnasium, the walls covered by silvery, square tiles.

"The latest in dueling arenas," said Tiberius. "This room not only makes the holograms more realistic than ever, it completely shuts out noise from the outside, giving us complete privacy."

"And no-one outside can hear what happens inside this room either," said Hape. "So if a Shadow Duel is held here, no-one can hear any screams."

Tiberius frowned again. That was true, actually. This guy was pretty smart.

He bent over a small locker and opened it. Inside were a deck case and two Duel Disks. One was a regular Disk. The other was special.

He started to reach for the special one.

Then he changed his mind and picked up the regular one.

_No need to waste my energy in a Shadow Duel now, _he thought. _If I have to kill him later, there are dozens of ways. _

He strapped it to his arm, and fit the deck in the holder.

"This better be good," he said.

"I may surprise you," said Hape.

The two Disks activated.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Hape: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Tiberius: 8,000)**

"You may move first," said Tiberius. "I'm anxious to see what this is all about."

Hape made a draw, and added the card to his hand.

"I set one card, and then summon Archfiend Soldier," he said.

A reversed card appeared, and then there was an aura of shadowy flames. An ugly demon with ram-like horns wearing a tattered cape, holding a blackened scimitar appeared in front of him. (1,900 ATK)

"That will do for now."

Tiberius made his first draw.

In two flashes of light, three concealed cards, one Monster and two Spells or Traps appeared in front of him.

He nodded.

"A man of few words, I see," said Hape, making a draw.

"I summon Opticlops."

In another dark shadow, another Fiend appeared, this one a muscular brute with one eye, and a horn on its forehead. (1,800 ATK)

_Seems all he's playing are a bunch of Normal Fiend-Types, _thought Tiberius.

"Archfiend Soldier, crush his Monster!" shouted Hape.

The Archfiend leapt at the hidden Monster holding its sword high. A Giant Rat appeared on the card, and was cut in half.

"I use my Giant Rat's effect!" exclaimed Tiberius. "In case you don't know what that is, I get to Special Summon an Earth Monster with 1,500 or fewer Attack Points.

"And since Level doesn't matter, I'll summon Criosphinx."

In a burst of energy, a large, animate statue materialized where the giant rat had been. It had little in common with the Grecian sphinx... A man's body with a ram's head sat atop a lion's lower body, out of which grew small wings. (1,200 ATK)

"I see," said Hape. "Opticlops, get it!"

Opticlops let out a snort, and charged at the statue like a bull.

"I activate a Trap," said Tiberius, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Stone Tell.

"By activating this card, my Rock-Type Monster isn't destroyed..."

Criosphinx shielded the blow with its arm.

"...and I get to draw one card..."

He made a draw.

"But you still take damage," said Hape.

**(H: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 7,400)**

"It's your move..."

"And it's time for one of my heavy hitters to come out," said Tiberius. "This next Monster isn't very good at dealing out punishment... But no-one is better than him when it comes to taking it!

"By sacrificing a Monster with the word 'sphinx' in its name..."

Criosphinx turned into an orb of light.

"...I'm allowed to summon Exxod, Master of the Guard!"

There was a rumble, and a huge statue, twenty feet tall, rose out of the floor. It seemed to be carved in the likeness of the legendary Exodia the Forbidden One, but it was clearly not the unstoppable force that Exodia was. (4,000 DEF)

"Like him?" asked Tiberius. "He may look like Exodia, but while Exodia is unstoppable, this guy is the opposite... He's _immovable."_

"Then what would happen if the unstoppable Exodia went up against your immovable Exxod?" asked Hape.

Tiberius started to say something, but Hape interrupted.

"Never mind, I don't want to get into a discussion like that here..." he said. "Besides, the answer is simple if the rules of the game are applied. Anyway, is that your move?"

"Yes," said Tiberius.

Hape made a draw. He looked at the card.

"My Trap activates!" said Tiberius with a laugh.

His facedown card lifted up.

"It's called Battle Mania. Now, your two Fiends have no choice but to attack this round. And since the only available target is Exxod..."

Hape looked at his hand.

"Well, if you gotta, you gotta..." he said.

Archfiend Soldier and Opticlops charged at the huge statue, only to be propelled backwards after smashing headlong into it. Hape grunted.

**(H: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 7,400)**

"I'm still waiting for this big demonstration of yours," said Tiberius. "My patience is starting to run thin."

"I'm working on it," said Hape. "I move to Main Phase 2, and summon Gil Garth to the field."

The Monster that appeared next looked more like a Machine, but it was nonetheless a Fiend, made of metal, hunched over, and holding a large, nasty scimitar. (1,800 ATK)

"It's your move..." he said.

Tiberius drew a card.

"I'm removing one Earth Monster from play..." he said.

Giant Rat fell out of his discard slot, and he placed it inside his jacket.

"To Special Summon The Rock Spirit."

In another aura of energy, a humanoid figure with pebbly skin, dressed in Spartan armor, holding a ruby-tipped mace, appeared next to Exxod. (1,700 ATK)

"But he's only staying long enough for me to sacrifice him..."

The Rock Spirit turned into an aura of light.

"...for Hieracosphinx."

Another sphinx appeared, this one completely different than the last. It looked like a lion with a hawk's head, with wings on its back. (2,400 ATK)

"Now then... My Hieracosphinx is going to attack your Archfiend Soldier! Pummeling pounce!"

The sphinx spread its wings, and flew at the Fiend...

"I have a Trap too!" said Hape, as his facedown card lifted up. "It's called Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!"

An apparatus that looked exactly like what the name of the card implied, a scarecrow made entirely out of scrap metal and junk, appeared, causing Hieracosphinx to slam into it.

"It negates the attack of one Monster. And even better, after using this Trap, it sets back on the field, so I can use it again next round."

The card reverted to set position.

"Well, I'm not done," said Tiberius.

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Double Summon. Now I can make a second Normal Summon. Which I'll use to set a Monster."

A reversed Monster appeared next to Hieracosphinx.

"And by the way, due to Hieracosphinx's effect, you can't attack any set Monsters.

"I'll end my turn there..."

Hape made a draw.

He set a card in his Spell Zone, and nodded.

"Not much to do, is there?" asked Tiberius, making a draw.

_Ah, Trap Jammer, _he thought. _This will get rid of that annoying Trap Card._

"I set one card," he said, as it appeared facedown. "Then, I flip Medusa Worm into Attack Mode."

The facedown card flipped up, and a big worm made of rock covered with spines leapt into view. (500 ATK)

It blasted a ray of energy at Archfiend Soldier. The Fiend turned to stone, and crumbled into dust.

"As you can see, when flipped face-up, Medusa Worm's effect is rather dramatic," said Tiberius. "And whenever an Earth Monster is Flip-Summoned, Exxod's effect causes you to lose 1,000 points of damage."

Exxod shot a blast of burning lightning from its eyes, and Hape yelled out in pain as they hit him.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" said Tiberius with a smile. "It would be pointless to try to attack, so I'll use Medusa Worm's other effect to flip it back to Defense Mode."

Medusa Worm reverted to a set card.

"It's your move..."

**(H: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 7,400)**

Hape took a deep breath. He made a draw.

"My Trap activates!" he shouted, as his facedown card shot up.

"Meteor Flare! I send these two cards to the Graveyard..."

He discarded Card Destruction and Soul Demolition.

"...and because you have more than 3,000 Life Points, you take 2,000 points of damage!"

"Say what?" said Tiberius.

The room darkened, and burning meteors fell from above. Tiberius screamed as they exploded around him.

"Ooh, you're gonna pay for that, you little..." he cursed.

"I'm just getting started!" said Hape, as he played a Spell Card. "My Silent Doom brings Archfiend Soldier back from the Graveyard in Defense Mode."

Archfiend Soldier reappeared, kneeling and holding its sword on its lap. (1,500 DEF)

"Now I summon... Dark Resonator!"

With a laugh, a small, grinning Fiend wearing a foolscap, a frilled collar, and a tattered robe appeared next to Archfiend Soldier. It held a tuning fork in one hand, and a small mallet in the other. (1,300 ATK)

"Hold on, that's a Tuner Monster!" exclaimed Tiberius.

"You got it!" exclaimed Hape. "And now for my demonstration..."

Dark Resonator struck the tuning fork, and an eerie tone wafted over the room. It and Archfiend Soldier dissolved into seven glowing stars.

"I've had the card I needed since the start of this duel..." he continued, "but I needed a Fiend-Type Synchro Monster to use it."

"Level 7 Fiend-Type Synchro?" said Tiberius.

Then he realized what Hape was summoning...

Hape lifted his right hand.

"_Born in the primordial soup that existed before creation, a sinister force of randomness that twists nature and turns reality upside-down! Rise from the burning flames of Pandemonium!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Chaos King Archfiend!"_

A pit of blue fire appeared on the floor in front of him, and a terrifying Fiend rose out of it. It was thin to the point of being gaunt, dressed in a spandex outfit with a high collar, and had only eyes on its expressionless face. Its head and arms were shrouded by a mane of flames. (2,600 ATK)

"Now, for my big surprise..." said Hape, lifting the last card in his hand. "I pay 1,000 Life Points to give Chaos King Archfiend an Equip Spell... The Blazing Falchion of Gian ben Gian!"

"Say WHAT?" shouted Tiberius.

Chaos King Archfiend lifted both hands, and a huge, two-handed scimitar burning with black flames appeared in them.

"Time to attack!" shouted Hape. "Chaos King Archfiend, destroy Exxod!"

The Archfiend flew at the huge statue, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

"And when my Archfiend attacks, the Attack and Defense Scores of all your Monsters... Well, they switch places."

Exxod's Defense Score plummeted all the way to zero, while Hieracosphinx's Attack Score fell to 1,200.

Chaos King Archfiend flew right through the Master of the Guard, shattering it like a clay pot.

Then Tiberius felt like someone had slugged him in the stomach with brass knuckles. His Life Points started to fall.

"What's going on?" he gasped. "It's Defense Score may have been zero, but it was still in Defense Mode!"

"But due my Archfiend's effect, its Attack Score was 4,000," said Hape. "And when a Monster destroys a Monster with the Blazing Falchion of Gian ben Gian, you take damage equal to your destroyed Monster's Attack or Defense Score, whichever is higher.

"Next on my list, that bird... lion... thing, whatever it is... Gil Garth, get it!"

Gil Garth made a slash with its mighty blade, cutting Hieracosphinx cleanly in half. The two pieces shattered into bright shards.

"One more left..." said Hape.

Opticlops charged, and smashed Medusa Worm to rock splinters.

**(H: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 800)**

"It's your move..." said Hape.

Tiberius reached into his jacket pocket and took out a small remote.

"I don't think so," he said, clicking a button on it. "This duel is over!"

The Disks deactivated, and the holograms vanished.

"Aw, quitting because you were losing?" asked Hape.

Then Tiberius grabbed him by the collar.

"I want some answers and I want them now," snarled Tiberius. "The Falchion of Gian ben Gian was a weapon created in the Dark Forge by the Dark God himself and given to the efreeti warlord Gian ben Gian, one of his most powerful minions. When the Dark God was imprisoned, it along with all the artifacts crafted in the Dark Forge were sealed away Agathion, the deepest layer of Pandemonium.

"Over the centuries, Doomdreamers have made dozens of expeditions looking for those artifacts, and if they returned at all, they returned empty-handed... Now, one of them comes back in the form of a card?"

Hape casually grabbed hold of Tiberius's wrists, and wrenched them away from him.

He bent down, and opened the briefcase again. He took out something.

A binder.

"_One _of them?" he said, opening it. "Look at THESE!"

Tiberius's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"By the ancients..." he gasped. "The Staff of Bones... The Wings of Decarabia... All the artifacts of the Dark Forge... Made into Duel Monsters cards..."

"Don't get too excited..." said Hape. "These are just images. The real weapons are still in Agathion. Someone was able to channel your lord's power enough, however, to craft these Duel Monster versions in the form of Equip Spells.

"So... Now you know one way I can aid you..."

"Give me those cards!" demanded Tiberius. "You have no right to them!"

"I was entrusted to keep them, actually," said Hape.

"I'll take them from your corpse if I have to!" shouted Tiberius.

Hape held up the binder and it vanished in a flash of light.

"Calm down..." he said slowly. "I realize that you're used to threats getting you what you want, but using them now will get you nothing... If we cannot resolve this civilly, I'll make myself vanish just like I made those cards.

"Another thing... Remember when I said I knew about Lareth the Beautiful? I also know that you need him if your current plan is to have any hope of succeeding. AND, I also know where he is and how to get there!"

Tiberius looked at him with a serious look.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I want in," said Hape. "The cards of the Dark Forge are my property, and you can't take them from me... There are things about your god that he doesn't share even with the Doomdreamers.

"But... If you be nice to me, and let me into your little club... I might be willing to share..."

"One question..." said Tiberius. "Exactly what do you stand to gain from joining us? Clearly it's not for the same reason as the typical member of our group."

Hape looked at him.

"Let me put it this way," he said. "Ever hear that there's strength in alliances? That individual who's helping the Shadowchasers who I said would be a threat to you...

"I'm pretty wary of him myself... For different reasons.

"Do we have a deal?"

Tiberius took a deep breath.

"I should warn you..." he said, "the members of this 'club' who work for TRUE all think that making their annual contributions to the company retirement plan is a cruel joke."

"Understandable," said Hape.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the penthouse, Dugan was on the phone.

"Uh-huh..." he said. "I see... Well, keep me informed..."

He hung up.

"Jalal's going to be preoccupied for a few days," he said to the others. "He's in Switzerland, acting as the mediator at the treaty negotiations between the Silvermoon Clan and the Shattered Skull Clan."

They all knew what he meant. The Silvermoon Clan was the biggest clan of elves in Europe. The Shattered Skulls were the biggest clan of orcs in the same region. Elves and orcs really hated each other. It was a rivalry older than any conflict humans had known, said to have gone back to the dawn of time, when their two creator-gods fought in a battle where the two races were born from their spilled blood.

The two clans had been at each other's throats since before the founding of the Shadowchasers, and come close to outright war more times than Jalal had cared to count. Just getting them to come to the negotiation table had been a monumental undertaking. Getting them to agree to a treaty would be hard, and getting them to make actual peace would likely be impossible; linguists often noted that the orc language didn't even have a true word for "peace" in it, only a guttural expression that meant, loosely translated, "temporary suspension of military action".

Of course, it wasn't like Jalal hadn't done the impossible before, and some folks said that if the Hatfields and the McCoys had been Shadowkind, he could have easily ended their feud, or maybe even prevented it. A hundred years ago, he successfully negotiated a treaty between the biggest goblin and gnome clans in Europe, and goblins and gnomes who were alive today who were alive back then (goblins can live to be two-hundred and fifty years old, and some gnomes live to be four-hundred) loved telling the story.

As the story goes, the final draft of the treaty seemed fair, but the goblin king had been very reluctant to sign it. Goblins have always hated gnomes almost as much as orcs hate elves. He had a reputation as a powerful warlord, but the other goblins didn't make him king merely because he was the strongest, and he also had a strange sense of humor. He posed a challenge to the gnome chieftain: If he could host a banquet that consisted of twenty-six dishes, each one with a name starting with a different letter of the English alphabet, he'd sign the treaty at the banquet. The goblin king also said that Jalal, as mediator, would be the only non-gnome allowed to help.

The goblin king knew that gnomes loved to eat and that the chieftain employed many first-rate chefs, but he thought that unless he found a way to make a xylophone edible, finding a foodstuff that started with X would be nearly impossible. Indeed, the gnome chieftain had no idea what to do for that part. But Jalal did. He knew of an edible fungus that grew on Acheron (ironically, the home realm of Maglubiyet, the god that most goblins worship) called Xavier's caps, named for the famed planar explorer who discovered them. In fact, Xavier's caps were pretty much the only edible thing that grew there; the armies of Maglubiyet and Gruumsh were at eternal war with each other in this realm, and had destroyed the ecosystem eons ago. (These armies were made up from the spirits of goblin and orc warriors, and had no need for food themselves.)

Jalal led an expedition of gnomes to Acheron, found what they needed, and got out quickly (the right way for visiting a lower plane). By simply serving the Xavier's caps raw, they fit the requirements. The goblin king was surprised to say the least (and more than a little upset that no less than eight of the other twenty-five dishes contained shellfish, something that everyone knew he was allergic to), but he honored his side of the bargain. The treaty was still in effect today.

"Anyway, there is some other news..." said Dugan. "The Mean Emcee still isn't responsive. He's just sitting in a padded cell giggling. But they did an analysis of his equipment. Seems the hat was a sympathetic object that he could cast spells through. The lion was summoned using Call Nature's Ally."

Nicole's expression turned puzzled.

"Wait..." she said. "Call Nature's Ally is a divine spell..."

"He was a divine spellcaster?" asked Ben.

Dugan nodded.

"Of what god?" asked Nichole. "Olidammara?"

Olidammara, known as the Laughing Rogue, was the Shadowkind god of mirth, music, and trickery. He was a _very _old deity, known to have been worshipped by many ancient races, but he was far more approachable than most gods with his level of power. Most myths about him focused on his great sense of humor, and told stories about him playing pranks and tricks on more serious gods, leaving with a smile on his face.

"We aren't sure," said Dugan. "Olidammara seems like sort of a stretch… He tends to represent the benign side of trickery. His followers would more likely be the clowns who'd actually try to make children laugh. At any rate, those strange pendants we got from the Mean Emcee and Drago don't match anything we know of yet…

"But back to the subject at hand...

"We may be on our own for a while, but we can still do some investigating ourselves. This is a big city, and someone might know something about where Ben came from. The docket has been fairly quiet lately, so we might be able to pound the pavement a little today.

"I'm going to go see if I can talk to Taka. If I can convince him to help, we might get a break."

"Gotcha," said Nichole. "I'll go poke around the South Side. I know a few places that sell information."

"I think I might know a place in Chinatown I can go to," said Karl.

"Great," said Dugan.

He reached for his helmet.

"Keep your cell phones on and keep in touch if you find something."

"What should I do in the meantime?" asked Ben.

Dugan sighed. That was a good question.

"Just stay in the penthouse," he said. "Watch television or something. It may well be that you can't be killed... But I'd rather not take any chances."

Ben sat on the couch as they left. He looked at Bartholomew.

"Uh, want to play a game or something?" said the brownie. "I don't duel, but... I've got a chess set somewhere around here..."

"Sure, why not..." said Ben with a sigh.

_Anything to help me relax... _he thought.

_The Dread Emperor… He called me a "survivor"… Survivor of what? And why did he risk being caught in order to duel me? _

_Am I a marked man? Is some sort of bounty on my head among people like him?_

He sat down. He looked at his Duel Disk. The strange Duel Disk that seemed to have some odd enchantment that a dead magic zone couldn't nullify.

_Who the devil am I?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**STONE TELL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Jowgen the Spiritualist looking intently at a Stone Statue of the Aztecs.

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent declares an attack against a Rock-Type Monster you control. For that 1 battle, your Rock-Type Monster is not destroyed by battle. After Damage Calculation, draw one card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – BLAZING FALCHION OF GIAN BEN GIAN (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **An efreeti (a fiery, demonic-looking genie) holding a blazing, two-handed scimitar.

**Card Description: **Equip only to a Fiend-Type Synchro Monster. Pay 1,000 Life Points to Equip this card. When the Equipped Monster destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the destroyed Monster's ATK or DEF, whichever is greater. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Dugan: After we took down Madison Vance, Shadowkind criminals all over Chicago tried to take his place as the biggest mobster among Shadowkind in the city. None of them have yet become as powerful as he did, but Taka Kyodai has come the closest. An exiled Yokai from the House of the Howling Gale, he was naturally attracted to a town that calls itself the Windy City. **_

_**Normally, I don't deal with crooks unless I intend to arrest them. But for information that no-one else can get, I have to deal with Taka. And it's not going to come easy...**_

"_**Where the Eagles Cry; The Exile" is coming soon.**_


	7. Where the Eagles Cry The Exile

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Where the Eagles Cry**

**The Exile**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In the Gold Coast, just down the street from the Angle Building, was an upscale apartment building.

At the top was the penthouse suite, but it was as different inside from the one where the Shadowchasers made their headquarters as Good was from Evil. The common room was set up like a sinister dojo, lit by candlelight, with suits of Japanese-style armor standing in the corners and matching weapons on the walls. On one wall was a frightening mural of a city being torn apart by a giant tornado.

Dugan was not going to let the décor frighten him... Nor was he going to be frightened by the thug coming at him with a baseball bat.

As the thug lunged, Dugan dodged aside, and his fist slammed into the thug's stomach, knocking him backwards.

Dugan looked at three other thugs.

"Anyone else want to see what eight years in the Marines can teach you?" he asked.

The thugs backed up, nervously...

Then Dugan heard clapping behind him.

"Ah, Major Dugan," said a voice with a clear Japanese accent. "As subtle as ever..."

Dugan turned around and saw the owner of the penthouse as he walked in, a man wearing a green kimono. Taka Kyodai, the Shadowkind crimelord of Chicago.

Taka looked normal enough to Mundanes, but Awares could see his taloned hands and feet, and the white feathers that he had in place of hair. He was actually a type of Kenku, one of several species of Yokai. (The word 'taka' meant 'hawk' or 'falcon'.) He had once been a general of the armies of the House of the Howling Gale, but had been cast out and exiled for some unspecified crime.

Some said that, to this day, Taka lived in fear that the Lord of the Howling Gale would send an assassin to finish the job. (Of course, if that were true, Taka had done a poor job of hiding out – he didn't seem to do anything to hide his identity from other Shadows.)

Dugan never liked dealing with crooks... He liked dealing with the Yokai even less. But he figured that since Taka was an old military man like him, it might be possible for them to find common ground.

Taka poured whiskey into a glass from a bottle.

"So, Dugan," he said. "What brings you to my humble abode? You want some of this? It's thirty-year-old Scotch..."

Dugan knew why Taka was being so friendly. He wasn't afraid of Dugan in the least. The bodyguards were more for show than anything else. Taka was more than capable of ripping a man in half if he wanted to. Fortunately, he was a bit more cultured than that.

"I'm not interested in gourmet whiskey, Taka," said Dugan. "I came because you're the biggest player in this city's underworld. You have been since we took down Vance."

"You flatter me," said Taka.

"And you're good at finding out things that people don't want found out," continued Dugan. "We have a guest who can't remember himself who is cursed somehow. A muscular elf with green skin. I found him on the South Side, and I'm betting that if someone can find out how he got there in the first place, you can."

"Hmm..." said Taka. "Interesting... Assuming I could find this out... Just what reason would I have to do so... Shadowchaser?"

"Because, if you did, I'd _owe_ you, Taka..." replied Dugan, pointing at him. "And from a Shadowchaser, that's not bad."

Taka looked at Dugan. He slowly drained the glass of scotch.

"Wait here..." he said.

Dugan watched as Taka walked out of the room. Then he heard his henchmen behind him.

"Easy, Ernie, get up..." said one of them.

Dugan turned around, and saw that Ernie was apparently the guy he had punched. As two of them were helping him get up, another was getting a glass of water.

_Must have hit him too hard, _thought Dugan.

"You all right?" asked Dugan.

Ernie took a bottle of pills out of his pocket.

"Uh, I'll be fine..." he said. "I have an ulcer that won't clear up..."

"If I may ask," said Dugan, "isn't working as a bodyguard kind of dangerous for someone with a stomach condition?"

Ernie swallowed two of the pills.

"Oh, this isn't what I do full time," he said. "I'm just trying to make extra money..."

Dugan gave him a strange look.

_Something suspicious here, _he thought.

"We all need some extra cash these days, Dugan..." said Taka's voice from behind him.

Dugan turned, and saw Taka, who was now wearing a Duel Disk.

"Tell you what, Major..." he said. "It was a rather boring day up to now... I planned to spend it playing golf, but my opponent cancelled.

"I know you don't play golf, but if you would accept a challenge of a different sort..."

He took a deck of cards out of his kimono and quickly shuffled it.

"...I might be more amenable to your proposal..."

Dugan paused. The Yokai didn't recognize the Treaty, but they did use Duel Monsters on occasion, and were known for being very clever in terms of their deck strategies. The Bride of the Howling Gale had shown up in Los Angeles a few months ago, and had faced a Shadowchaser there in a Turbo Duel. Her deck combined Dark Simorgh with the regular Simorgh, a lethal combo in a format where Trap Cards are very essential.

Still... If it was the only way to get the proposal past the initial stage...

"Fine..." he said.

His Duel Disk activated.

"I accept!"

"Splendid!" said Taka. "Then prepare... The Windy City is about to live up to its name in one area..."

**(Dugan: 8,000 - - - - - - - - - - Taka: 8,000)**

"Duel!" they both shouted.

"I draw!" said Taka, whipping a sixth card off his deck.

"And I summon..."

A gust of wind blew through the room.

"Flying Kamakiri #1!"

A man-sized mantis with wings appeared in the center of the room. It clicked its mandibles. (1,400 ATK)

"That will do for now..."

Dugan made his first draw.

_A pretty standard card for a Wind Deck... _he thought, looking at his hand. _Well, sorry pal, I'm not giving you a chance to use that thing's effect..._

He played a Spell Card.

"I played Tribute to the Doomed!" he shouted. "I'll discard one card to destroy your Kamakiri!"

He discarded Scrap Goblin, and a swarm of linens erupted out of the ground, grabbing the Insect. It shattered into pixels.

"Next, I summon Scrap Chimera," he continued.

With a roar, the lion-headed, winged Beast made out of scrap metal and wood materialized on the field. (1,700 ATK)

"And by summoning it, I get to Special Summon a Tuner with the word 'Scrap' in its name from my Graveyard."

Scrap Goblin appeared next to Scrap Chimera. (0 ATK)

"Now, I Tune my two Monsters together..."

The two Scraps leapt towards the ceiling. Both of them faded into seven points of light.

"_Deep within the junkyard, an ominous portal to the Underworld opens! Soul of a demon, body of debris and cast-iron, rise from the infernal pits below!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Archfiend!"_

With a roar, a large Fiend loomed over the field in front of Dugan. It bore an uncanny resemblance to the King of Games' signature Fiend, Summoned Skull, but like all Scraps, was made of sheet metal, pipes, and other junk. (2,700 ATK)

"Most impressive..." said Taka.

"Attack him directly!" shouted Dugan. "Blazing bolts!"

Scrap Archfiend's eyes glowed, and two blasts of energy shot out of them, knocking the Kenku backwards.

**(D: 8,000 - - - - - - - - - - T: 5,300)**

"End turn..." said Dugan.

Taka got up, panting for breath.

"I have to ask, Major..." he said. "Why are you so committed to helping one Shadowkind amnesiac?"

"Let's just say I promised to help him," said Dugan. "And I already loused up in an attempt to do so. I owe him."

"Did you try knocking him on the head?" asked Taka. "I've heard that can help..."

"That's a myth!" said Dugan, now annoyed.

"Well then..." said Taka.

He drew a card.

"If you want to enter one person's debt to get out of another's, who am I to argue?

"But let's see where this duel leads... I play the Field Spell, Dragon Canyon!"

He fit the card into the Field Slot in his Disk, and the results were dramatic. The penthouse faded away, and the walls of a desert canyon rose around them, under a cloudless sky. Above, Dugan could see dragons flying overhead.

"Dragon Canyon has two effects," said Taka, "and I can use one each turn by discarding a card from my hand.

"This turn, I'm going to use its second effect, which lets me send a Dragon-Type Monster from my deck to my Graveyard...

"So, I'll discard Dragunity Javelin from my hand, to send Dragunity Phalanx to the Graveyard as well."

_Dragunity Monsters? _thought Dugan.

Taka quickly made the two discards.

"Next," said Taka, "I summon Dragunity Legionnaire."

Another wind blew through the Canyon, and a Winged Beast appeared in front of Taka. It was more muscular than most Winged Beasts, wearing a toga with a fur collar, gauntlets, a helmet that covered the upper half of its face (including its beak, apparently), and boots. It had large, green wings. (1,200 ATK)

"When Legionnaire is Normal Summoned, I can take one Level 3 or lower Dragunity Dragon-Type Monster from my Graveyard, and Equip it to him like an Equip Spell. I choose Dragunity Javelin."

Legionnaire lifted its right arm, and a golden gauntlet, vaguely shaped like a small Dragon, appeared on it.

"Next, I use Legionnaire's other effect," continued Taka, "sending the Equipped Dragon to the Graveyard to wipe out one of your Monsters!"

Legionnaire pointed at Scrap Archfiend. The gauntlet shattered, and the Archfiend exploded into flames and hot metal.

Dugan looked dumbfounded as a hubcap rolled past him.

"So much for that," said Taka. "Dragunity Legionnaire, attack him directly!"

Legionnaire flew at Dugan, and socked him in the chin. Dugan grunted a little.

That _hurt..._

_Never trust a Yokai, _he thought. _He's putting a little black magic into this duel... Probably to make it more interesting..._

"It's your move, Major Dugan," said Taka.

**(D: 6,800 - - - - - - - - - - T: 5,300)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this moment, Tiberius was leading Hape down a long hall.

"So where are we going?" asked Hape.

"If you're going to be part of this 'club' as you put it," said Tiberius, "I need someone to show you the ropes."

They walked into a lounge where a television was turned on.

"Lorelei?" said Tiberius.

A woman seated on the couch in the middle of the room stood up...

She was the type who would stand out in any crowd. Her perfect figure was accented by her tight black slacks and a low-cut shirt with a midriff that was the same color. Her waist-length hair was platinum blonde, and her eyes, easily her most distinguishing feature, were green, and resembled a cat's.

"New recruit, Uly?" she asked.

"Marcus Hape, meet my second-in-command, Lorelei DeLuc," said Tiberius. "She'll show you around."

Lorelei giggled a little as Tiberius left.

"He only _thinks, _I'm his second-in-command," she whispered to Hape. "Actually, the Triad sent me here to make sure he doesn't goof up."

"You're a tiefling, right?" asked Hape.

"A cambion, actually," replied Lorelei. "My mother was a succubus. Long story. But enough about me..."

She turned off the television.

"It was a rerun anyway... This way..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Dugan looked at Dragunity Legionnaire.

_Shadow Duel or not, _he thought, _that thing should be easy to take down..._

He drew a card.

_I just have to remember... The rules of Duel Monsters still apply..._

"I set a Monster," he said.

A hidden Monster appeared.

"That's all for now..."

Taka made a draw.

"I activate... Cards of Consonance," he said, as he played a Spell Card.

"I simply have to toss one Dragon-Type Tuner Monster from my hand that has 1,000 Attack Points or less..."

He discarded Dragunity Darkspear.

"...and I get to draw twice."

He made two draws. He looked at them, put them aside, and chose another card.

"Next, I summon Dragunity Dux."

There was another gust of Wind, and a new Winged Beast appeared next to Legionnaire. This one was slender, as most Winged Beasts were, had a hawk's head, and metallic wings. He carried a long rod with a mass of ribbons at the end. (1,500 ATK)

"Like his comrade Legionnaire," continued Taka, "when Dux is Normal Summoned, I get to Equip him with a low-Level Dragunity Dragon from my Graveyard. So... This time I'll choose Dragunity Phalanx."

Dux lifted its right arm and a bronze gauntlet with two blades, vaguely shaped like a Dragon appeared on it.

"Dux also gains 200 Attack Points for each card I possess with the word 'Dragunity' in its name."

(2,100 ATK)

"Huh?" said Dugan. "But you only have two!"

Taka shook his head.

"I said 'card', not 'Monster'," he replied. "Dragunity Phalanx counts.

"Dragunity Dux, take care of his Monster."

Dux thrust its odd weapon forward, and the streamers started spinning, causing a fierce wind to blow...

A very large rodent appeared on the card, and was blown into pixels.

"You killed my Giant Rat," said Dugan, "and it does for Earth what your Flying Kamakiri does for Wind. I think I'll summon a second Giant Rat."

Another large rodent, clutching a skull in its claw appeared in front of Dugan. (1,400 ATK)

"Very well..." said Taka. "I'll set a card, and move Legionnaire to Defense Mode."

A facedown card appeared, and Dragunity Legionnaire knelt and folded its wings over its chest. (800 DEF)

Dugan made a draw.

_Now we're talking... _he thought.

"I sacrifice my Rat..." he said.

The Beast tuned into a globe of light.

"...for Scrap Golem!"

A big, hulking, mechanical creature appeared where Giant Rat had been. Its torso was an old refrigerator, its head an old microwave oven, and its arms were rubber tubes with an old submarine propeller for a right arm. (2,300 ATK)

"Next, I'm using its effect... Once per turn, I can use it to Special Summon a low-Level Scrap from my Graveyard. So Scrap Goblin, return!"

The mechanical Beast-Warrior appeared again. (0 ATK)

"Then I can Tune my Monsters together again..."

Scrap Goblin turned into three stars. Then Scrap Golem turned into five. They all flew towards the ceiling.

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

**(*3 + *5 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

Scrap Dragon appeared on Dugan's side of the field, and let out a fierce roar. (2,800 ATK)

"Uh, boss..." said one of the bodyguards. "That's not good..."

"I've seen worse..." said Taka.

"Really?" said Dugan.

He set a card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Well, by destroying the Spell Card I just set, my Dragon can destroy one of your cards.

"I could wipe out one of your Monsters... But... I think it would be better for me in the long run to get rid of this Field Spell.

"Scrap Dragon, tear Dragon Canyon down!"

The set card shattered, and Scrap Dragon let out an earsplitting roar. The canyon walls around them crumbled into dust, and then disintegrated, returning them to the penthouse.

"I'm not done with you..." said Dugan. "Attack Dragunity Dux! Toxic blaze!"

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Taka.

His facedown card lifted up.

"Staunch Defender! Now, instead of attacking Dux, your Dragon will be attacking Legionnaire..."

Scrap Dragon blasted its flaming breath, incinerating the defending Legionnaire.

"...so I don't take any damage at all."

"But Dux loses 200 Attack Points," said Dugan.

(1,900 ATK)

"It's your move..."

Taka drew a card.

"I activate Spellbook Inside the Pot," he said, playing a Spell Card.

As he played it, the Pot of Greed appeared in mid-air, and three glowing texts floated out of it.

"A useful card that lets us both make three draws."

Dugan shrugged. He drew three cards, and Taka did the same.

"You aren't the only one who can use Synchros, Major," continued Taka. "First, I summon Dragunity Militum."

The Monster that appeared was a Winged Beast, but many of its features also suggested an Insect, or maybe a Fairy of some sort. It was thin, had long, chestnut hair, and gossamer wings. It wore a toga, a helmet with a crest and a mouth guard, and carried a rapier and dagger. (1,700 ATK)

"Next, I activate Dragunity Phalanx's effect."

"Wait..." said Dugan. "That's the Dragon that's Equipped to Dux..."

"Precisely," said Taka. "And its effect now lets me un-Equip it and move it to my Monster Zone."

Dux's gauntlet turned to a globe of energy, and then the energy turned into a small, bronze Dragon with blade-like horns on its head. (500 ATK)

"Next, I Tune together Dragunity Dux and Dragunity Phalanx..."

The Dragon took to the air, and the Winged Beast followed. They turned into six glowing stars.

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"Synchro Summon... Dragunity Knight Gae Bulg!"

With a bellow, a Dragon – or more specifically, a Dragon with a rider – flew onto the field. The Dragon was a larger, serpentine version of Dragunity Phalanx, while the rider was unmistakably Dragunity Dux, holding a lance. (2,000 ATK)

"Does that... Always happen?" asked Dugan, pointing to the large Synchro.

"Yes..." said Taka. "Dragunity Synchros require a Dragon-Type as the Tuner and a Winged Beast as the non-Tuner. The Tuner becomes the steed, while the non-Tuner becomes the rider.

"But... Dragunity Knight Gae Bulg has the same effect no matter what specific Monsters are used to summon it.

"I'll demonstrate... Gae Bulg, attack Scrap Dragon."

"Huh?" said Dugan, as the Dragon and its rider flew towards Scrap Dragon.

Then Gae Bulg's Attack Score shot up to 3,200. It impaled Scrap Dragon with its lance, and the Scrap let out a holler before exploding.

Taka grinned, and held up a card – Dragunity Legionnaire.

"I simply have to remove a Winged Beast in my Graveyard from play," he said, placing it inside his kimono, "and my Monster gains its Attack Points. It can do that during both my Battle Phase and yours.

"Now, Dragunity Militum..."

Then he was surprised to see Scrap Golem blocking Militum's path. (2,300 ATK)

"Huh?" he said.

"When Scrap Dragon is destroyed," said Dugan, "I get to Special Summon another Scrap from my Graveyard."

"Well then..." said Taka.

He fit two cards into his Disk, and two set cards appeared.

"I end my turn, which means Gae Bulg's Attack Score returns to 2,000... Don't forget, Dragunity Dux is still in my Graveyard."

**(D: 6,400 - - - - - - - - - - T: 5,300)**

_He's right... _thought Dugan, making a draw. _Fortunately, I've got what I need here to summon Scrap Twin Dragon..._

"I play... Foolish Burial," he said, playing a Spell Card_._

He took Scrap Beast from his deck, and quickly discarded it.

"Then, I can use Scrap Golem's effect to summon that Monster to the field..."

"Actually, you can't," replied Taka, as a facedown card lifted up. "Activate Skill Shock!"

Dragunity Militum vanished, and Scrap Golem shook as electricity coursed over it.

"All I have to do is sacrifice a Monster, and your Golem can't use its effect this round, and can't attack either."

_And with another Winged Beast in his Graveyard, _thought Dugan, _Gae Bulg can use its effect twice more..._

He looked at his five remaining cards.

_This will work, _he thought.

"I play Enemy Controller!" he exclaimed. "Gae Bulg is moving to Defense Mode."

The big Dragon folded its wings, and the rider put down the lance. (1,100 DEF)

"Then, I summon Scrap Hunter," continued Dugan.

The clunky Machine on tank treads appeared in front of him. (1,600 ATK)

"Your Dragunity Knight can use its effect to boost its Attack Score," said Dugan, "but not its Defense.

"Go! Attack! Predatory rush!"

Scrap Hunter sped at Gae Bulg, its drill bit spinning. The Dragon roared, and then it and its rider burst into pixels.

Taka growled a little.

"It's your move, Taka," said Dugan.

The Kenku made a draw.

"Oh, I'll move, all right," said Taka. "And you aren't going to like it.

"I remove Dux from play to Special Summon Garuda the Wind Spirit."

In another gust of wind, a far more familiar Winged Beast appeared in front of Taka, a hawk-headed one with brown wings, wearing a pair of red trousers and a sash. (1,600 ATK)

"Then, I sacrifice it..."

The Wind Spirit turned into a globe of light.

"...for Dragunity Angusticlavii!"

The Winged Beast that appeared this time was the biggest one so far. It stood seven feet tall, wore blue pants and a jacket with a fur collar, and a red helmet that covered the upper half of its face, including its beak. It had large blue wings, and carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. (2,100 ATK)

"Don't ask me to spell it," he said, as his last facedown card lifted up. "Next, I activate Limit Reverse to summon Dragunity Darkspear to the field."

Another small Dragon hopped out of the card, this one with black scales and a head that was shaped like a sword blade. (1,000 ATK)

"Then, I Tune them together to form an even stronger Dragunity Knight..."

Darkspear and Angusticlavii turned into eight glowing orbs this time, and they flew up to the ceiling...

**(*3 + *5 = *8)**

With an even greater roar than last time, a new rider on a Dragon mount appeared in front of Taka. Like before, the rider was clearly Angusticlavii, while the Dragon was a gargantuan version of Darkspear. (2,000 ATK)

"Meet Dragunity Knight Barcha," said Taka.

"Uh..." said Dugan.

"I know what you're thinking," said Taka. "It has pathetic scores for a Level 8 Monster. Well, what Barcha lacks in points, it gains in effect.

"You see, when Synchro Summoned, I get to Equip it with as many Dragon-Type Dragunity Monsters from my Graveyard as possible."

He took Dragunity Javelin, Dragunity Darkspear, and Dragunity Phalanx, from his discard slot, and placed them into his Disk. With each one, the rider's armor became more full and decorated.

"And for each Dragunity Equipped to Barcha," continued Taka, "it gains 300 Attack Points."

(2,900 ATK)

"I could have even Equipped Dragunity Knight Gae Bulg to it…" he continued. "But I needed to save one slot on my Spell Zone. To make it even stronger, I give it the Equip Spell Mage Power."

He threw a card into the last slot in his Spell Zone.

"It gives Barcha 500 more Attack Points for each Spell Card I have. That's 2,500 extra points, in case you can't do the math."

(5,400 ATK)

"Attack!" shouted Taka. "Destroy his Golem!"

The Dragon and its rider swooped at the junk-bot, spearing it with a lance, blowing it to shards and knocking Dugan down.

**(D: 3,300 - - - - - - - - - - T: 5,300)**

"I'm finished..." said Taka, with a grin.

Dugan got up, and dusted himself off.

He made a draw.

He quickly set it, and it appeared in his Spell Zone. Then he turned Scrap Hunter's card, and it shielded itself in Defense Mode. (400 DEF)

"End turn," he said.

Taka drew a card. Then he grinned.

"I summon Dragunity Tribus!" he laughed.

The Winged Beast that appeared looked like a humanoid parrot, with two sets of wings, wearing a noble's outfit in white with green trim. (500 ATK)

"It may have only 500 Attack Points…" continued Taka, "but that's 100 more than your Hunter's Defense Score, and once it's out of the way, one blow from Barcha will end this.

"But just in case this doesn't work, I'll use Tribus's effect anyway… Which lets me send a Level 3 or Lower Dragon to my Graveyard from my deck. Like Dragunity Brandistock."

He discarded the card.

_I never imagined there were so many low-Level Dragons, _thought Dugan. _I had assumed that the list got rather small after Masked Dragon._

Then Tribus conjured up a bolt of green energy and threw it at Scrap Hunter, blowing it to metal shards.

"Thank you," said Dugan, with a smile. "By destroying my Scrap Monster, you've enabled me to activate _this!"_

His Trap Card lifted up.

"Scrap Crash! When a Scrap is destroyed, it destroys all face-up Spells and Traps on the field."

"But that means..." said Taka.

"That's right..." said Dugan. "Dragunity Knight Barcha loses the three Dragunities that are Equipped to it. Mage Power too."

The rider's armor shattered into pieces, the Equip Spell was blown to bits, and Barcha's Attack Score fell down to its base score of 2,000.

Taka made a face.

"Seems you were good regarding the 'just in cases', Taka…" said Dugan.

And then he grunted as Barcha's lance stabbed into him.

"I guess so…" cursed Taka, "I end my turn…"

**(D: 2,200 - - - - - - - - - - T: 5,300)**

Dugan held his chest and took a deep breath.

"Then it's my move..." he said, making a draw.

He fit a card into his Disk.

"I play Scrap Lube," he said.

Taka raised an eyebrow as the Spell Card appeared, and a large pool of oil started to spread over the floor.

"By playing this, I get to Special Summon a Scrap from my Graveyard. Any Scrap at all…"

Scrap Dragon rose out of the pool of oil, and loomed over the field. (2,800 ATK)

"Give me a break…" said Taka.

"There are some conditions, of course," continued Dugan. "My Dragon can't use its effect, and I have to skip my Battle Phase this turn.

"So I'll end my turn now…"

Taka looked hard at Scrap Dragon. He made a draw.

"Just what I needed!" he laughed. "Now I can get rid of your likely target and destroy your Dragon in one fell swoop.

"The Spell Card, Armory of Dragunity!"

He played the card.

"By sacrificing a Dragunity, I get to take any Equip Spell Card I want from my deck."

Tribus vanished into grains of light, and a new card appeared in Taka's hand.

"You also get to make one draw," continued Taka, "but fortunately, I'll get to use this first…"

Dugan shrugged, and drew a card.

"Now, I play Darkworld Shackles!" exclaimed Taka, playing the card. "And I'll Equip it to your Monster."

Scrap Dragon roared as a set of chains shot out of the floor and bound it. Its Attack Score plummeted to only 100 points.

Dragunity Knight Barcha charged at the shrunken Synchro, and it exploded with a jab of its lance.

**(D: 300 - - - - - - - - - - T: 5,300)**

"You took the bait just as I'd hoped, Taka," said Dugan, closing his eyes. "I use Scrap Dragon's effect to bring Scrap Goblin back from the Graveyard one more time..."

The Goblin appeared once again. (0 ATK)

"Now wait one minute!" shouted Taka. "You told me its effect was negated!"

"True, Scrap Lube's presence prevented Scrap Dragon from using its effects," said Dugan. "But since the effect I just enacted activates in the Graveyard, Scrap Lube was no longer a factor.

"Someone like you should know, Taka… When you can't outfight a guy, outsmart him. That's one of the first things they taught me in the Marines."

Taka frowned.

Then he actually smirked a little as Dugan made a draw.

"Now then," said Dugan, "with one Scrap on the field, I'm able to Special Summon Scrap Orthros."

A new Scrap appeared next to the Goblin. It looked similar to Scrap Beast, with one major difference: it had two heads. (1,700 ATK)

"Having done that, I now have to destroy a Scrap Monster..."

Scrap Goblin shattered into shards of metal.

"But that's okay, because now I get to use Goblin's effect, and recover a Scrap from my Graveyard."

Scrap Chimera slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"Then, I'll summon Scrap Chimera..."

The Chimera appeared, and roared. (1,700 ATK)

"...and use its effect to Special Summon Scrap Beast from my Graveyard."

With another roar, Scrap Beast bounded onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

"Three Monsters in one turn?" said Taka, nervously.

"I'm not done," said Dugan, as he played a Spell Card. "By using my Double Summon Spell Card, I can summon a fourth. So I'll bring out another Scrap Beast."

A twin of the first Beast leapt onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, one more Spell Card," said Dugan. "Thanks for using Armory of Dragunity, by the way… If you hadn't, I wouldn't have gotten to this… I play... Scrap Sheen!

"To play this card, I have to destroy one Scrap Monster..."

One of the two Scrap Beasts shattered into pixels.

Then the other three Scraps turned all shiny and clean, like they had just been chrome-plated.

"The new paint-job gives them all 1,000 more Attack Points," said Dugan.

The remaining Scrap Beast rose to an Attack Score of 2,600, while Scrap Orthros and Scrap Chimera rose to 2,700 apiece.

"Time to end this!" shouted Dugan. "Scrap Beast, destroy Dragunity Knight Barcha with Junkyard frenzy!"

Scrap Beast pounced, landing on the much larger Monster and smashing it into a flurry of pixels.

"Now, Scrap Chimera and Scrap Orthros both attack directly!"

Scrap Orthros belched a streams of green fire, and Taka screamed in pain.

**(D: 300 - - - - - - - - - - T: 0)**

Dugan watched Taka sit up and rub his head as the Monsters vanished.

"Well?" asked Dugan.

"I'll... Go make some phone calls..." said Taka.

"Well..." said Dugan, as the crime boss stood up. "It's a start..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"So..." said Hape.

He and Lorelei were walking down a long hallway.

"I assume your dad was some poor sap that your mom seduced? That's usually how it goes with succubi."

"Heh..." said Lorelei. "Not at all. My dad was a powerful Doomdreamer. The Dark God told him in a dream that he would be betrayed by his apprentice if he took one. So he decided to sire an apprentice rather than recruit one, thinking that an offspring could be trusted. He used a ritual to summon my mother, and made a deal with her, promising several favors and tithes to the Abyssal Lord she served in exchange for her bearing his child."

"So... Let me get this straight..." said Hape. "She was your real mother... But it was sort of the same deal as a surrogate mother?"

Lorelei grinned.

"She got much more than the typical surrogate mother..." she replied. "True, she had to serve as an incubator, but she got a luxurious suite with twenty-four hour room service and satellite TV, plus servants to wait on her hand and foot.

"Trouble was, my dad never treated me as well... He never intended me to be independent... He wanted to mold me into the perfect priestess of the Dark God, one whom he would grant an audience to and allow membership to the Doomdreamers. My childhood was rather harsh as a result...

"The Dark God did speak to me, earlier than he anticipated. I almost feel sorry for my father... He never saw it coming… Never realized that the one who would betray him was me..."

"You killed him?" asked Hape.

"Nah," replied Lorelei. "Turned him into a cat with a Baleful Polymorph potion. I altered the formula so he never lost sight of who he used to be. Kind of an ironic twist. I still keep him in my bedroom. He nags me from time to time, but over the years, he's actually become sort of proud of how I turned out."

Hape looked at her strangely.

"You any good with a sword?" asked Lorelei.

"I've used them before," replied Hape.

"Follow me," said Lorelei. "We'll see for sure..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SKILL SHOCK (Trap Card)**

**Counter Trap**

**Image: **Sasuke Samurai surrounded by an aura of lightning.

**Card Description: **Activate when an opposing Monster activates an effect. Tribute one Monster you control. Negate the activation of the effect. The opposing Monster cannot use any effects or attack this turn.

_Note: "Skill Shock" was first used by Judai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode 162. __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPELLBOOK INSIDE THE POT (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Three glowing textbooks floating out of the Pot of Greed.

**Card Description: **Both players draw three cards from their decks.

_Note: "Spellbook Inside the Pot" was first used by Judai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga __Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARMORY OF DRAGUNITY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Dragunity Primus Plus holding a Sword of Deep-Seated

**Card Description: **Tribute 1 "Dragunity" Monster you control. Your opponent draws 1 card. Select 1 Equip Spell Card from your deck and add it to your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Nichole: Who is more corrupt? A drug dealer who sells addictive narcotics to kids, or a guy who runs a controversial but perfectly legitimate establishment where the services are also addictive, cost a great deal of money, and specifically target teenagers?**_

_**Answer the question any way you like. To a member of St. Cuthbert's House like myself, there's little difference between them on a moral standpoint. Still, I have to go to one of these establishments right now, because the owner, like Taka, is privy to information that few people know about. And in order to get that information, I have to accept a wager I'd rather not make.**_

"_**A Hard Bargain; Electric Avenue" is coming soon.**_


	8. A Hard Bargain Electric Avenue

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**A Hard Bargain**

**Electric Avenue**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

One pastime that was as popular now as it had ever been was video games. Of course, they had come a long way in the past couple of decades. The time of the seventh generation of consoles was long past, and the eighth and ninth had gone by as well.

Nintendo now marketed the Delta MAX, a system that not only offered a new line of games, but played DVDs, audio CDs, and through internet connectivity could not only download games made exclusively for itself, but almost every game in Nintendo's history. The X-NEXT was basically Microsoft's version of the same thing.

With all the high-tech home consoles, one would think that old-fashioned coin-op arcades would have a hard time competing. They still existed… Doing their best to offer experiences that home systems could not. Some coin-op games were as much rides as they were games. Some were high-tech shooting galleries. The Duel Terminals were popular in some places. And some were games of skill where you played to win tickets that you could exchange for prizes. (The most popular type of game at pizza parlor/video arcade combinations for little kids.)

They seemed like fun, but places like St. Cuthbert's House saw them differently – as addictive wastes of money, and more often than not, scams. They had crunched the numbers. If you spent ten dollars playing skee ball and hit the bull's eye every time, you'd win enough tickets for a prize that was barely worth two dollars. Not that there was _any _chance that you would hit the bull's eye that often.

Electric Avenue was a local arcade on the South Side where the House was often active. The management didn't want them there, of course. They had at first tried to scare them away with threats of lawsuits, until they proved how much influence they had with a potent stunt.

A member of the House who hadn't been there before came undercover with a young man whom he referred to as Josh. Josh bought twenty dollars' worth of quarters, and started using them on the basketball machine. While he was drawing attention, the member with him kept track of his success rate. After spending all twenty dollars, he had averaged one basket out of eight.

Josh then chuckled, and told everyone his last name. He was actually Josh Shaffer, the center who had just signed a contract with the Chicago Bulls. (He was far from the only celebrity who was willing to help the House.) He joked that the machine was pretty tough. Of course, he was insinuating that it was rigged.

The manager tried to claim that he had missed on purpose, but his word against Chicago's newest golden boy wasn't too good. The threats of lawsuits stopped after that, and Nichole and her friends simply got cold glares when they came here.

So why was Nichole here today? It was a long shot, but she knew that the manager here kept his ears open for any information that was marketable… Such information could be used if it could somehow be gotten out of him.

She walked in, and as usual, the noise was overwhelming. She held her head and looked around.

_Man, I can barely hear myself think… _she thought, holding her forehead.

"If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen," said a voice behind her. "It would save us both a lot of grief."

Nichole turned around with a frown. She saw the guy she was looking for, an overweight man with long, unkempt hair, wearing jeans, a coin changer, and a black t-shirt with the Batman symbol on it, along with numerous stains.

"Hello, Freddy," she said, still frowning.

"What is it this time, Nichole?" asked the manager. "Come to lecture again on how this place is a 'breeding ground for quarter eaters'?"

"Get serious, Freddy," said Nichole. "These games never cost just a quarter to play anymore.

"You may find this hard to believe, but I came here for another reason. As you know, this neighborhood is a popular hang-out. It wouldn't be a bad place if not for your oversized noisemaker… You've got the movie theater, ice cream store, Starbucks…"

"Your point being?" asked Freddy.

"I know that kids come here, and they talk about what happens all over the South Side," continued Nichole. "I know that you listen to what they say, and you pick up some good information. And I know that you'll part with that information for a price.

"I might need some of that information, and…"

"Whoa, whoa, hold it," said Freddy. "I see where this is going.

"Yeah, I got loads of information… But I only share it with people in my… group, if you will, and you aren't in it."

"So what do I have to do to be in this 'group'?" asked Nichole.

Freddy chuckled.

"I hear that _your_ group is fond of challenges and wagers…" he said.

"You know I'm no good at these video games!" exclaimed Nichole.

"I know…" said Freddy. "I wouldn't want to play against you at one anyway… _Way _too easy…"

He took a set of keys out of his pocket, and walked over to a _Donkey Kong _game that had an "Out of Order" sign on it.

"So why don't we play _your _video game…"

He unlocked a padlock that was holding the back of the machine's cabinet shut, and opened it. As Nichole expected, the cabinet was hollow, and being used for a closet-like storage space. Why else would Freddy have kept such an antiquated game in this place? Inside the cabinet was mostly junk food, but Freddy went to something else – a Duel Disk.

"Duel Monsters?" asked Nichole. "That's not a video game, it's a card game."

"Maybe it was when Pegasus first thought it up," replied Freddy. "But once Kaiba came out with these things, and holo-imagers became commonplace, it not only became a video game, it became an _interactive _video game.

"So here's the deal. We duel right here. You win, I'll tell you anything you want."

"And if you win?" asked Nichole.

"Then you go back to that stupid place of yours and tell them to stop coming here causing trouble!" shouted Freddy.

"St. Cuthbert's House?" asked Nichole. "You expect me to tell a charity organization that counsels troubled youth to stay away from a place where young people continually get in trouble?"

"Sorry," said Freddy, crossing his arms. "Those are my conditions.

"Maurice! Get out of my Ho-Hos!"

The employee backed away from the open cabinet, stumbling as he did so.

Nichole looked at him. Then she looked at her Duel Disk.

"Fine…" she said. "You're on…"

_The day I can't beat this nerd, _she thought, _is the day I'm a failure in St. Cuthbert's eyes. _

She noticed that everyone was watching as she activated her Duel Disk. She looked around.

_Maybe winning here could gain St. Cuthbert's House even more credibility… _she thought.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Freddy: 8,000)**

"Ladies first, I insist," said Freddy. "See? Am I really such an ogre?"

Nichole didn't answer. She simply made her first draw.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin," she said.

There was a gust of wind, and another of the Amazoness tribe appeared in front of Nichole. Her bikini top and breechcloth were beige, and she also wore a hood and a tattered cape that was the same color. She held a longsword. (1,700 ATK)

"And she gains 100 Attack Points for every Monster I have with the word 'Amazoness' in its name."

(1,800 ATK)

"I'll end my turn there."

"My move," said Freddy, drawing a card.

"I'll start by playing two Continuous Spell Cards," he said, as he fit two cards into his Disk. "Then first is Messenger of Peace."

One Spell Card appeared in front of him.

"For the low, low price of only 100 Life Points per turn, this keeps all Monsters with 1,500 Attack Points or more from attacking."

_Huh? _thought Nichole. _Is he using a Burn Deck?_

Then a second Continuous Spell appeared.

"Then, D.D. Reinforcements," continued Freddy. "The effect of this card activates whenever a Monster that was removed from play is summoned to your side of the field. When that happens, I get to draw one card."

"Do you expect that to happen often?" asked Nichole, with a suspicious look.

"Far more often than you think," replied Freddy. "I summon Wattpheasant."

There was a crackling of electricity, and a large fowl with blue feathers and striped tail feathers, surrounded by an aura of electricity, appeared in front of him. (1,000 ATK)

"Attack directly!" shouted Freddy.

THAT took Nichole by surprise. The Wattpheasant flew towards her, ignoring Amazoness Paladin completely, and jabbed her with its beak.

Then Paladin vanished into motes of light.

"HEY!" shouted Nichole.

"Don't worry," said Freddy. "She'll be back when I end my turn. Before then, I'll set this…"

A facedown card appeared behind the Thunder Monster.

"Now then, I end my turn, so your Amazon comes back…"

Amazoness Paladin reappeared, holding her chest, as if in shock. (1,800 ATK)

"…which means I get to draw one card due to D.D. Reinforcements…"

Freddy made one draw. He nodded.

**(N: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 8,000)**

Nichole drew a card.

_I can't attack so long as that Messenger is there…_ she thought. _But I can put up more of a presence…_

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman!" she exclaimed.

She threw the card on her Disk, and Swords Woman leapt onto the field. (1,500 ATK)

"Trap Card activate!" shouted Freddy, as his facedown card lifted up. "Trap Hole!"

Swords Woman paused and looked down as a pit started to form under her…

Then she screamed as she plummeted into it.

Nichole grunted. She fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"Your move…" she said.

"Hey, look at this people!" shouted someone. "Freddy is kicking serious A!"

_Perfect, _thought Nichole. _This is not making me look good…_

_Ben had better appreciate this…_

Freddy drew a card, and looked at it.

"I'll spend 100 Life Points for Messenger of Peace," he said. "Then I'll summon Wattwoodpecker."

True to its name, the Monster he summoned was a woodpecker, with red, black, and yellow feathers, and circuitry on its chest. (1,000 ATK)

_It's starting to make sense, _thought Nichole. _These Watt Monsters have low Attack Scores, so they depend on effects and cooperative strategies to launch successful attacks. If Wattpheasant can remove a Monster from play, another Watt can make an unopposed direct attack. _

_Seems Freddy's a lot smarter than I gave him credit for._

Then she grunted as Wattpheasant's beak stabbed into her again. Amazoness Paladin vanished again.

"Wattwoodpecker, you next!" ordered Freddy.

As Wattwoodpecker flew towards Nichole, her facedown card lifted up, revealing Call of the Haunted. Amazoness Swords Woman leapt onto the field with a shout. (1,500 ATK)

She glared at Wattwoodpecker and it backed down.

"Damn…" said Freddy. "I knew I should have sprung for the _Bottomless_ Trap Hole…

"It's your move…"

**(N: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 7,900)**

Paladin appeared again. The D.D. Reinforcements card glowed, and Freddy made another draw.

_Got to draw the right card here… _thought Nichole.

She made a draw.

It was Queen's Pawn.

_Definitely not the right card._

She took a card and set it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"Move…" she said.

Freddy grinned as he made a draw. His Life Points dipped by 100 points again.

He quickly set the card he had drawn at the end of the last turn, and it appeared behind his two Watts.

"Now I play Shooting Star Bow – Ceal," he said, as he played another, "and I Equip it to Amazoness Swords Woman."

The mythical weapon appeared in Swords Woman's hand. (500 ATK)

"It gives the holder the ability to attack directly… But it makes her weak enough for Wattwoodpecker to handle."

Then he played a new card, and a third Watt appeared. It looked like a beautiful, graceful goldfish. (100 ATK)

"Huh?" said Nichole.

"I know, Wattbetta doesn't look too formidable," said Freddy. "But don't judge a book by its cover.

"But first thing's first… You remember Wattpheasant, right?"

"Not again…" groaned Nichole.

She grunted again, as the Thunder bird jabbed her with its beak. Once again, Paladin vanished.

"Wattwoodpecker, attack Swords Woman!" shouted Freddy. "Electo-peck!"

The electric bird made a mighty peck at Swords Woman with its bill, blowing her to pixels.

"Due to Swords Woman's effect, the damage from that battle is taken by you," said Nichole.

"Oh yeah?" said Freddy. "Well guess what? Wattwoodpecker gets to attack twice!

"Attack directly!"

Wattwoodpecker flew at Nichole… then her facedown card shot up.

"Activate Dimension Wall!" she shouted.

Wattwoodpecker slammed its beak into a glowing aura of energy, and this time, Freddy grunted from the impact.

"I'm not done!" he said, angrily. "Wattbetta, your turn!"

The strange goldfish swum up to Nichole and slapped her with its tail. She barely felt a thing.

"Is that supposed to do something?" she asked.

"Yes," replied Freddy. "When Wattbetta deals damage, even only 100 points, you ditch one card in your hand. So do it!"

Nichole sighed, and discarded Amazoness Chain Master from her hand.

"That should be enough for one turn," said Freddy.

Amazoness Paladin appeared again. The D.D. Reinforcements card glowed again, and Freddy made one draw.

**(N: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 6,300)**

Nichole drew a card.

_Finally, _she thought.

"I summon Amazoness Sage!" she shouted.

With a battle cry, Sage leapt onto the field, twirling her quarterstaff. (1,400 ATK)

"Ho boy…" gasped Freddy. "She can get by my Messenger!"

"You got it," said Nichole. "So good luck blocking this!"

Amazoness Sage swung her weapon and clobbered Wattpheasant, propelling it across the room. It dissolved into a shower of sparks halfway to the rafters.

"That's not all," continued Nichole. "When Sage battles, I get to send one Spell or Trap Card packing."

The Messenger of Peace card was blown to bits.

"That means Paladin is going to make sushi out of Wattbetta!"

Amazoness Paladin leapt at the goldfish, and with one slash of her blade, smashed it into sparking pieces.

"ERGH!" said Freddy, holding his chest.

He took some deep, gasping breaths.

**(N: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 4,000)**

"Too many chili dogs, Freddy?" asked Nichole.

Everyone laughed.

"How would you know?" asked Freddy.

"Please," said Nichole. "Just looking at your shirt, I can tell what you've eaten for the past three days. Just how often do you clean it? You've had chili dogs at least twice, pizza once, potato chips with guacamole dip twice, potato chips with clam dip once… You have one stain that I think is from last week when they made the world's biggest sundae at the mall…"

"Are you done with your turn?" asked Freddy, now rather annoyed.

Nichole fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"_Now _I am," she said with a sweet smile.

"You don't have to humiliate me, you know," he muttered, as he drew a card.

He looked at his shirt.

_Then again, _he thought,_ maybe it _is _time I went to the Laundromat… _

He made a draw.

_Heh…_

His facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Wattcannon," he said.

As the Trap Card appeared, it turned into what looked like the type of cannon found in circuses, either for human cannonball acts or for launching fireworks displays. It was a colorful device covered with stars that was surrounded by an aura of electricity.

"I can fire this thing once per round, whenever I summon a low-Level Thunder-Type Monster," he continued. "And it deals out 600 points of damage.

"Then I summon the Tuner Monster Wattkiwi!"

With a chirp, another Watt appeared, this one – naturally – a kiwi with a golden aura and a large blue and red star on its torso. (600 ATK)

"Tuner?" said Nichole. "That's not…"

She stopped short as the Wattcannon blasted a bolt of electric energy, hitting her in the stomach.

"…good…" she moaned.

"Now then…" continued Freddy. "I Tune together Wattkiwi and Wattwoodpecker…"

The two birds sparked with electrical energy, and flew towards the ceiling, where they faded into clusters of stars…

"_Like a bolt of lightning out of the blue, coalesce into a being that harnesses the true power of the storm!"_

**(*3 + *3 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Wattchimera!"_

The Watt that appeared this time was far bigger than the other Watts. In fact, it was just as big as Dugan's Scrap Chimera, and might have been distantly related. It looked like a chimera – lion's head, wings, tail with a snake's head on the end – but it was covered with colored patterns like the other Watts, and the aura of electricity it exuded was so intense, it made Nichole's hair stand on end. (1,400 ATK)

"A Level 6 Synchro Monster with 1,400 Attack Points…" said Nichole. "I'm guessing this thing's effect is not something you want to be on the receiving end of…"

"It can attack directly, actually," said Freddy. "Come to think of it, there's only one stronger Monster that can do so without any conditions… And it's another Watt."

Nichole looked at Wattchimera. She was _not _very anxious to meet this other Watt…

"But before I do," continued Freddy, "I'm playing the Equip Spell, Wattcube."

A cubical aura of golden energy formed around Wattchimera.

"It gives my Thunder-Type Monster 100 extra points for each one in my Graveyard."

(1,800 ATK)

"But I'm not even going to bother with that, because I'm moving right to Wattcube's other effect. By sending it to the Graveyard, I can boost my Thunder Monster's Attack Score by 1,000, permanently!"

The energy cube vanished, and Wattchimera roared. (2,400 ATK)

"And don't forget… Wattchimera gets to attack directly…

"Attack! Static shockwave!"

The attack could best be described as a bolt of lightning, and it took Nichole completely by surprise. She fell to the floor, her skin tingling.

"Wattchimera has one more effect," chuckled Freddy. "When it deals out damage, it sends one card in your hand to the top of your deck."

Nichole groaned. She looked at her hand, as one of the two cards vanished, and materialized on top of her deck.

Freddy casually fit a card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

**(N: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 4,000)**

_I got it all planned out, _he thought. _Even if she blows up my Wattchimera, I got my most powerful Trap Card ready to use…_

_Giga-Watt! She destroys my Monster, it takes all of hers with it. _

He looked at the one card left in his hand.

_And I still have Wattdragonfly. It and Wattcannon won't be enough to end the duel, but if _it _gets totaled, I can bring out Wattgiraffe, and that will be all she wrote. _

"It's your move…" he said with a chuckle.

"I really hope you enjoyed that…" said Nichole, drawing the top card off her deck.

"Cause I'm taking that thing down. I summon Amazoness Scouts."

In an aura of energy, two of the most unlikely Amazons appeared. They were even younger than Blowpiper… In fact, they were only children. One of them was dressed in yellow and orange, had brown hair with two black feathers in it, and held a short sword. The other was dressed in blue and grey, had blue hair with red feathers in it, and held a bow and arrow. (500 ATK)

"Heh…" said Freddy, "they're adorable…"

"I'll show you how adorable they are," said Nichole, as she played the last card in her hand. "I play Amazoness Spellcaster!"

As she played the card, an aged female shaman appeared behind her and started chanting. Strange symbols appeared in the air.

"By playing this Spell Card, the base Attack Score of one of my Amazons switches with that of one of your Monsters. So I'll switch my Scouts' score with your Wattchimera."

Wattchimera roared again. Its Attack Score fell to 1,500, while the Scouts rose to 1,400.

_Whatever… _thought Freddy, looking at his Trap Card. _I'll still have the last laugh…_

"All right, do your stuff you two!" urged Nichole.

The two Scouts turned into a globe of energy, and then vanished.

"Huh?" said Freddy. "Where'd they go?"

"By sacrificing them," explained Nichole. "All my other Amazons cannot be targeted by Effect Monsters or destroyed by card effects this turn."

Freddy stopped short.

He looked at his set Giga-Watt again, and realized that those two little girls had just rendered his most powerful Trap worthless…

"Amazoness Paladin, attack!" shouted Nichole. "Slay his Wattchimera with Pride of the Amazons!"

Paladin did a leap, and came down sword first, running the electric chimera through. It roared in a loud death throes, and then exploded into a shower of sparks.

Then Nichole's facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Queen's Pawn!" she exclaimed. "I'll summon my own furry friend…"

Amazoness Tiger leapt onto the field. (1,100 ATK) – (2,300 ATK)

"Uh…" said Freddy, nervously.

Nichole pointed, and Amazoness Sage leapt at him. He hollered as she clocked him upside the head with her staff.

**(N: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 2,200)**

"Tiger…" said Nichole.

Amazoness Tiger licked her lips…

"Ho boy…" said Freddy. "Mamma always said there'd be days like this…"

He screamed as Tiger pounced and tackled him.

**(N: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (F: 0)**

Freddy got up, gasping for breath. The arcade seemed dead quiet. You could hear the now-unmanned machines, but not a sound from the spectators, who were all staring at Freddy.

"Well, Freddy," said Nichole, "I guess this is the part where you'd see the little message on the screen that says…

"Game… over."

Freddy looked at her.

"Heh heh…" he chuckled, holding his stomach. "Heh… HA, HA, HA, HA, HA…

"Yeah, I guess you're right… Heh…

"Okay, you win… In fact, tell you what…"

He checked his watch.

"It's almost five… How about I call Taco Loco and we discuss whatever you want to know over a few fajitas?"

Nichole smirked and closed her eyes.

"Fine…" she said, "so long as it's not an outright bribe…"

"Heh…" said Freddy, nervously. "Yeah…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Tiberius was in a large room, pacing.

His employers were going to call soon, and he was always nervous when they did. They were _very _hard to please.

And by "employers" he didn't mean Jared Galti or anyone who worked for TRUE. He meant his _other _employers.

"Mr. Tiberius, can I speak to you a moment?" said Graves's voice behind him.

Tiberius was wound so tight at this time, he almost jumped. But he quickly regained his composure.

"This had better be important, Graves," he said, straightening his tie.

"I'm afraid it is, sir," said Graves. "I just did my rounds, and when I checked the Orb Chamber… I'm afraid we're short one occupant…"

Tiberius made a face and put his hand on his forehead.

"Shelly got out _again?" _he groaned.

"I'm afraid so," replied Graves.

"Well take some people and go find her!" shouted Tiberius. "Take some sedatives, a tranquilizer gun, a net if you think that will help! Get her back here before she does something stupid!"

As Graves left the room, Tiberius slumped in a chair.

_I'm the one who did something stupid… _he thought. _I gave her that… accessory in the first place. Ah well… Complications were bound to arise…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**D.D. REINFORCEMENTS (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Warrior Dai Grepher forming a fighting stance as D.D. Warrior Lady leaps out of a portal in front of him.

**Card Description: **When 1 or more Monsters that were removed from play are Special Summoned to your opponent's side of the field, draw 1 card. You may only use this effect once per turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GIGA-WATT (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Wattchimera roaring in a super-intense burst of electrical energy.

**Card Description: **Activate when a Thunder-Type Synchro Monster you control is destroyed by battle. Pay half your Life Points to destroy all Monsters on the field. You may not Summon or set a Monster for the remainder of the turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Karl: An old song by an artist named Kenny Rogers had a famous refrain… It went, quote, "You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run", unquote. Those two lines are good ones for the Shadowchasers to follow when making decisions. **_

_**Right now, I'm facing a challenge by a girl who seems downright creepy. Normally, my decision would be to walk away, and if she continued to pester me, to run. I don't need this tonight…**_

_**The thing is… She's wearing that same strange pendant that Drago gave to me, which the Mean Emcee had. It means something, and we need to know what that "something" is. So for now, I guess I have to hold 'em. **_

"_**Sinister Secrets; The Fallen Angel" is coming soon. **_


	9. Sinister Secrets The Fallen Angel

_It's a little early for a new chapter, but this one is as short as the last, and I wanted to say a few words._

_First, some words in response to a review._

_I actually expected to get some opposing viewpoints from last chapter. Metal Overlord and possibly others seem to have no problems with coin-op arcades. Let's just say that my experiences with them were not as joyous as his were._

_Maybe I do owe an apology for anyone who liked them. Not all coin-op arcades are breeding grounds for rip-offs, like the ones I knew of that showed up on my local news. In my own defense, Nichole was not quite in a 'holier than thou' attitude when she approached Freddy. She went there to make a deal, and I do believe she succeeded. _

_But at the same time, I have been criticized for having my protagonists be untouchable and without guile. Nichole is a member of a group that can be controversial at times – St. Cuthbert's House in this case – and I try to portray her as a member of this very militant religious group in addition to the Shadowchasers. Yes, she is not the friendliest of my protagonists, yes, she is willing to hound even legitimate businesses that the group deems harmful to the city's youth, and that's how St. Cuthbert's faithful usually are. You might say that they've had enough of folks who waste time trying to improve the lives of the impoverished via the proper channels and getting miserable results. They've seen pathetic failures like Midnight Basketball and No Child Left Behind, and think that whoever thought them up is living a fantasy. They do it using methods that get results. Even if it is not approved by some facets of society, they have powerful friends – like __Josh Shaffer, who may well have originally come from the inner city himself –__ who admire them for having the gumption to actually do something other than complain. _

_Again, I apologize for the possibly one-sided view, but I was trying, as I said, to establish one aspect of St. Cuthbert. He's _tough, _no question about it, and to him, both Law and justice goes far beyond the written rules thought up by mortals. _

_And Freddy will be heard from again, in a more positive light. I guarantee it. _

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Sinister Secrets**

**The Fallen Angel**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

At this time, Ben and Bartholomew were in the middle of their eighth game of chess. Ben had proven much better at the Game of Kings than the brownie had assumed. As of right now, he was undefeated.

Ben sighed as he moved his rook forward three squares.

"Checkmate," he said.

"So it is…" muttered Bartholomew.

"Right now I'm torn between perverse fascination and outright boredom," said Ben, leaning his head on his hand.

"You've obviously played before," said Bartholomew, as he gathered the pieces.

"Like I said before, who knows?" asked Ben. "I could be a former grandmaster for all we know…"

He stood up. He looked at his Duel Disk on the coffee table.

"Not knowing who I am is downright creepy… And this thing that someone seems to have given me makes it even creepier…"

"Uhm…" said Bartholomew, nervously. "You know… I probably shouldn't be doing this, but…"

He reached into his pocket, and took out some things, making Ben raise an eyebrow, as they didn't look like they could fit in a pocket: an eggplant, a rolling pin, a large book, and a baseball glove. ("Hey, I've been looking for that…" he said, as he set it down.)

Then he finally took out a purse. He opened the purse, and took out a business card.

He handed it to Ben. Ben looked at it.

**Willy's Widgets**

**Hand-Crafted Toys**

"It's a place run by a friend of mine," said Bartholomew.

"A toy store?" asked Ben, doubtfully.

"He makes toys _now," _replied Bartholomew. "He used to be a world-class mechanic who knew a great deal about magical engineering… Combining magic with machinery."

Ben looked at the Duel Disk. He picked it up.

"He might know something about that thing…" added the brownie.

Ben looked at the business card again.

"Tell Dugan I went for a walk," he said.

He quickly headed for the door.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Karl had not had as much luck as Dugan and Nichole. He had gone to Chinatown hoping to meet up with the biggest information seller there. Everyone in Little China knew that Mr. Xing sold information when he wasn't selling horticulture supplies at his modest store.

Unfortunately, he got to the store to find it for sale, and Mr. Xing nowhere to be seen. He asked around, and discovered that Xing's father, who still lived in China, had been diagnosed with some form of cancer, and Xing had closed shop and flown to his native country to be with him.

It seemed the trip would be a dead end, as far as gaining information went. Still, it was nearly evening and Karl realized he was in the best place in town for Chinese food. And he knew a nice little café that made the best wonton noodle soup in Chinatown.

Unfortunately, as he walked in to place his order, Sal started to beep.

"_Uh, Karl?" _said Sal._ "Someone outside seems to be interested in you…"_

Karl glanced over his shoulder and saw a Cheshire Cat grin outside the window.

Karl rushed out of the restaurant as the mysterious smile vanished. He saw a robed figure running, and he quickly pursued it down the street.

He saw that it was heading towards the Nine Dragon Wall, one of the local landmarks.

He didn't have to pursue her – yes, her – any further. The girl, who was dressed in purple robes and a hood, was standing with her back to the wall, smiling like a cat that had eaten a canary. Karl flinched a little… He had heard stories of how the old Rare Hunters had once worn similar robes…

But what really caught Karl's attention was the amulet around her neck… The same amulet that Drago had given him…

"What's the deal?" he asked. "What does that symbol mean?"

"You want to know about this?" she said with a giggle, pointing to it. "Well, I'm not sure… I bought it at Macy's."

"I'm not amused," said Karl. "I want answers…"

"Hey, I just came out looking for a good time," said the girl.

She pulled her left sleeve back. A Duel Disk was on it.

That gave Karl quite a shock. For a split second, he could swear that it wasn't a human arm, but a gnarled, sinewy one, with a wicked claw for a hand. Then he looked at it with a full glance, and it seemed to be a regular arm again.

"I figured you might give me one…" said the strange girl. "That is, if the big, bad Shadowchaser isn't afraid of little Shelly…"

"Where did you escape from?" asked Karl, with an odd look.

"Not telling," said Shelly.

Karl sighed.

_It probably wouldn't be hard for me to lose this weirdo, _he thought. _But… That amulet… It means something, likely something dangerous, and I want to know what it means._

His Duel Disk activated.

"It's a duel you want, huh?" he said. "Fine… But no strings attached…"

_For now… _he thought. _Maybe if I get her talking, I can learn something. _

"I wouldn't think of it!" laughed Shelly, as her own Duel Disk activated. "Come on, get your game on!"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't say that…" said Karl.

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Shelly: 8,000)**

"All right, draw!" said Karl, making his first draw.

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

_This guy is useful, _he thought, _but he's Level 6…_

He picked another card and set it on his Disk. A reversed Monster appeared.

"That will be all for now," he said.

"Then it's my move!" laughed Shelly, as she quickly drew a card off her deck. "And I summon…"

A dark shadow rose in front of her.

"…Nurse Reficule the Fallen One!"

Karl couldn't help but be nervous at the sight of the female Monster in front of him – a woman covered from head to toe in bandages, with leathery wings on her back, and long hair that looked like sharp blades. He had heard of Nurse Reficule the Fallen One before – other duelists had described her to him – but apparently, a second-hand description was not enough to prepare one for the intimidating presence this creature exuded. (1,400 ATK)

"Okay, that's… Disturbing…" he said.

The fallen angel looked at him with a smile that made his blood run cold…

"Reficule, attack!" shouted Shelly. "Infectious wrath!"

Reficule threw her hands forward, and her bladed hair shot forward towards the facedown Monster…

Then, a large, segmented cross between a worm and a caterpillar, with translucent, icy skin appeared on the card. The blades bounced off. (1,800 ATK)

"Not quite!" said Karl, nervously. "My Numbing Grub in the Ice Barrier is a little too much for her!"

Shelly made a pout. She took two cards from her hand, and set them in her Disk. Two facedown cards appeared.

"It's your move…" she said, with a grin.

**(K: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,600)**

Karl looked at Reficule, then he made a draw.

He looked at the card he had drawn the last turn.

_What am I worried about? _he thought. _This guy will handle her. _

"I sacrifice my Grub…" he said, as the Numbing Grub turned into an orb of energy, "to summon General Raiho of the Ice Barrier!"

The orb burst, and standing in its place was a tall, handsome, raven-haired man, dressed in a blue toga with loose sleeves and a square-shaped hat. (2,100 ATK)

"And he's stronger than your Fallen One," he said.

"Not for long," said Shelly, as one of her Trap Cards lifted up. "I activate Brutal Potion. And it Equips to Reficule."

Reficule glowed, and two shackles appeared on her wrists. Then a wooden cangue appeared around her neck.

"Good lord…" said Karl.

"Reficule is a masochist, Shadowchaser," said Shelly. "This actually helps her. Whenever you take effect damage, it grants her 1,000 Attack Points until the End Phase.

"And that's going to happen right now… I activate Gift Card."

Her other facedown card lifted up.

"Usually, this card increases your Life Points by 3,000. But due to Reficule's own effect…"

"I lose them instead!" gasped Karl.

Reficule's eyes glowed with black fire, and Karl screamed as an aura of the same black fire enveloped him.

Reficule's Attack Score shot up to 2,400.

"I'm beginning to see why she… fell," said Karl. "I guess I won't be attacking this turn… I'll set one card facedown, and that will be all."

A set card appeared in his Spell Zone.

_A three-thousand-point hit to my Life Points, _he thought, _and no negative cost to her to do it… If she is crazy, she certainly isn't stupid…_

**(K: 5,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,600)**

"My move!" laughed Shelly.

She made a draw.

"And the glorious pain is about to get even better!"

"You're crazy," said Karl.

"We're all a little crazy, aren't we?" asked Shelly. "I play this…"

A Spell Card appeared in front of her.

"Hand Destruction?" asked Karl.

"Now we must both ditch two cards and draw two replacements," said Shelly.

Karl shrugged, and discarded Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier and Sacred Spirit of the Ice Barrier. He made two draws. Shelly made two discards, and also made two draws.

"And the cards I just discarded were Monsters called Burning Algae!" laughed Shelly. "Normally, when sent to the Graveyard, they restore your Life Points by 1,000 points…" 

_Lovely, more Fire Monsters… _thought Karl. _Well, I've got one trick to deal with them…_

"The idea is for Reficule to turn that into burn damage, right?" replied Karl. "Well, it's not gonna be that easy."

"Huh?" asked Shelly.

"General Raiho has a powerful effect of his own," said Karl, pointing to his Monster. "Before you can activate a Monster effect with him around, you have to discard a card from your hand.

"It doesn't affect Reficule, because she has a Continuous Effect. But _each _of your two Burning Algae requires a discard before their effects activate.

"It's your choice, Shelly…" 

Shelly frowned. She looked at the three cards in her hand.

"Clever…" she said. "In that case, I choose to keep what I've got. You dodged those two bullets…

"But not THIS one! I play Upstart Goblin!"

_Oh no… _thought Karl, as the Spell Card appeared. _Raiho can't do anything about Spells… And Reficule will turn that Life Point gain into damage too…_

Reficule's eyes burned again, and Karl screamed again. Shelly drew one card.

"Don't forget the effect of Brutal Potion," said Shelly, as Reficule's Attack Score rose to 2,400.

"Now slay his general!"

What happened next was downright creepy. Reficule's hair shot forward and constricted around General Raiho, and then pulled him towards her. The Fallen One grinned…

Karl cringed as a hair-blade cut downward and Raiho shattered.

"So much for him," said Shelly, as she set a card in her Disk. "I'll set this, and then you go…"

A new facedown card appeared.

**(K: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,600)**

"My move…" said Karl.

He made a draw.

"Trap Card activate…" said Shelly.

_Don't tell me it's another Gift Card? _thought Karl.

"The Paths of Destiny!" laughed Shelly. "Now each of us tosses a coin. Heads means you gain 2,000 Life Points. Tails means you lose 2,000 Life Points."

A gold coin fell into Karl's hand.

"Let me guess..." he said, sarcastically. "Nurse Ratched there is going to make sure I lose Life Points no matter what the toss is. Well, you might lose the toss too."

"I'm feeling really lucky tonight..." chuckled Shelly. "Well? Toss the coin!"

"All right, I might as well humor you…" said Karl.

He tossed the coin, then caught it, and then slapped it on his wrist.

Ironically, it was heads.

He grunted again, as Reficule cast her dark curse again.

"Your turn…" he growled.

Shelly laughed, and tossed the coin. She let it fall to the floor.

However, it was tails.

She gasped, and then screamed in pain as a red aura burned her.

"Serves you right," said Karl, as he played a card. "I summon Spellbreaker of the Ice Barrier."

He played the card, and a lovely lady wearing a red blouse, blue slacks, and platinum blonde hair, holding a golden scepter, materialized in front of him. (1,200 ATK)

"Now, I use her effect," continued Karl. "I send one other Ice Barrier Monster in my hand to the Graveyard…"

He took Geisha of the Ice Barrier, and discarded it. 

"…and as long as she remains on the field, neither player can use Spell Cards until the End Phase of my next turn.

"And my _current _turn is over now."

**(K: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,600)**

Shelly looked a little pissed. She made a draw.

Her hand consisted of Bad Reaction to Simochi, Pot of Avarice, and A Feather of the Phoenix.

_If I used A Feather of the Phoenix this turn, _she thought, _I could get back Gift Card next turn, and win this duel… But to do that, I have to get rid of his Spellbreaker…_

_Shouldn't be too hard…_

"Reficule…" she commanded. "Wipe out Spellbreaker of the Ice Barrier!"

The evil nurse shot her hair at the Spellcaster, who glared at her…

"I activate… Realize Defense!" shouted Karl, as his Trap Card shot up. "Because Spellbreaker can defend better than she can attack, this Trap Card moves her to Defense Mode right now!"

Spellbreaker knelt and crossed her arms. (2,000 DEF) Reficule shrieked and fell on her behind.

Shelly was clearly angry.

"I end my turn…" she snarled.

**(K: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,000)**

"I draw!" shouted Karl, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

"And I summon the Tuner Monster, Reese the Ice Mistress!"

There was a blast of cold air, and a woman in a blue dress, brown skirt, and blue headdress appeared next to Spellbreaker. Although the words "Ice Barrier" weren't in her name, the snowflake crest present on most of the group was on the headdress, marking her as an honorary member. (800 ATK)

Then, the two female Monsters leapt into the sky. Reese turned into two glowing stars, and Spellbreaker followed, turning into four. Karl raised his hands to the sky, as an arctic wind started to blow.

"_Mighty spirit of the North Wind, descend to bring your savage storm to the frozen tundra!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

_"Synchro Summon… Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

With a roar, the first and likely the most famous Synchro Monster of the Ice Barrier loomed over the field. It was a large, serpentine creature with a dragon's head (it was actually a Sea Serpent, not a Dragon) with a small pair of arms, large wings, and a hide the color and texture of ice. It radiated an aura of pure cold. (2,300 ATK)

"Not him…" stammered Shelly, whose voice suddenly took a serious – and frightened – tone.

"I see Brionac's reputation precedes him," said Karl, as he discarded one of the cards in his hand. "I'm sure you know then, that for each discard, Brionac can blow one card clear off the field."

Brionac roared, and a raging blizzard accompanied the bellow. Reficule tried to struggle against the fierce wind, but she was swept up, and then vanished, her card reappearing in Shelly's hand.

"And even if you summon Reficule again," continued Karl, "she won't have the benefit of Brutal Potion. _That _card was destroyed.

"All right, Brionac! Attack directly! Death blizzard!"

Brionac exhaled a mighty blast of snow, ice, and sleet at the young duelist, who screamed before she was knocked over.

Karl took one of the two cards left in his hand, and set it in his Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"That will do it for now…" he said.

**(K: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 2,700)**

"Ready to end this foolishness?" he asked. "Ready to come clean about what that amulet means?"

"NEVER!" screamed Shelly. "Not if you keelhaul me during a shark alert! Not if you hogtie me over an anthill and…"

"Can we possibly be less graphic?" asked Karl, making a face.

Shelly didn't answer. She just drew a card.

Then she grinned.

_This will do… _she thought.

"I summon Reficule again!" she exclaimed, as the sinister nurse reappeared. (1,400 ATK)

"And now that your Spellbreaker is gone, I play A Feather of the Phoenix!"

The Spell Card, materialized in front of her. She discarded one of her other cards.

"By ditching one card, I get to take any card I want from my Graveyard, and place it on top of my deck…"

Gift Card slipped out of her discard slot, and she quickly transferred it to the top of her deck. She grinned wickedly at Karl.

"You remember how Reficule turned this Trap into a deadly weapon that inflicted 3,000 points of damage without me having to pay a dime, right?" she asked. "Oh, I know what you're thinking… You're going to ice Reficule – so to speak – before I get a chance to draw it. Well I'm drawing it right now…

"I play my second Upstart Goblin!"

She threw the Spell Card she had drawn this turn into her Disk…

"I don't think so!" shouted Karl.

His facedown card shot up.

"I activate Joint Future!"

He quickly discarded the last card in his hand.

"This Counter Trap negates your Spell Card…"

Upstart Goblin shattered into pixels.

"…and there's an added bonus. When Joint Future negates a card, that card does NOT go to the Graveyard. It goes to your deck, and the deck is then reshuffled. That means both Upstart Goblin and Gift Card will be out of reach for the time being."

Shelly fit the Spell Card into her deck, and hit the Disk's auto-shuffler.

"Yeah, well, it's not over," she said. "It's your move."

"_She's right, you know," _said Sal. _"You have no cards in your hand right now. If you discard whatever you draw to use Brionac's effect, she'll still have Life Points left, and she may have one chance to turn it around. If you attack Reficule with Brionac, she may even get more than one chance."_

"Then I'd best draw the right card…" said Karl.

He made a draw. He looked at it.

"Just what the doctor ordered," he said with a grin.

"I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier!"

In a cloud of mist and ice crystals, the frigid Samurai materialized, holding his blade aloft. (1,800 ATK)

"All right!" he ordered. "Send Reficule to the ER!"

Samurai of the Ice Barrier slashed at the fallen angel with his icy katana, and the bandaged nurse screamed. She dissolved into globs of darkness.

"Now to finish this! Brionac… Attack directly!"

Brionac roared, and Shelly hollered as she was hit by its death blizzard again.

**(K: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

Karl looked at Shelly, who was lying prone on the ground.

"Now maybe I can get some answers…" he said. "I just have to…"

And then he was startled as a dark fog started to rise around him.

"What the?" he exclaimed. "Sal, what's happening?"

"_It seems to be a Wall of Fog," _replied Sal. _"And Shelly is getting up. I'm assuming she's using it to cover her escape. _

"_She must have been more powerful than we thought, if she can cast spells…"_

Actually, Shelly could do nothing of the sort. She had not cast the Wall of Fog. It had been cast by some people who were looking for her. And her bid to flee was not to escape from Karl, but from them.

She didn't succeed. After she had run a block, two men tackled her and wrestled her to the ground.

As they tightened the grip they had on her, Graves walked into the light, and sighed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A short time later, Graves and the same two men led Shelly, now wearing a straitjacket, into a room where Tiberius was waiting. Just by the look on his face, you could tell he was annoyed.

"Shelly, what is this?" he asked. "The third time this month?"

"Aw, I just wanted to have some fun!" laughed Shelly. "I was gonna come back!"

Tiberius sighed.

"Shelly, listen..." he said. "The fact that you're acting so erratically is proof that the new arm we gave you is messing with your mind. The Orb Chamber is supposed to fix that. You can't expect it to do its job if you keep picking the locks and sneaking out.

"Furthermore, you're risking giving us away every time you go out! Do you _want_ the Shadowchasers knocking on our door?

"Graves is going to take you back there... Listen good... If this happens one more time... I'll have no choice but to recommend that you be expelled from this organization."

Shelly gave a look of horror. Tiberius walked up to her.

"You know what happens to dropouts, right?" he asked.

Shelly gulped.

"They… They're offered as sacrifices for the rituals..." she stammered.

Tiberius held her by the chin.

"You're young, beautiful, and chaste, Shelly..." he said, softly. "You'd be perfect for that purpose... So show a little common sense, and stay there this time."

Tiberius slumped in his chair as Graves led her out of the room. He opened a drawer next to the chair and searched until he found a bottle of Tylenol.

_She picked a bad night to give me a headache, _he thought. _The Triad will be calling in less than an hour if they're punctual, and they usually are. _

_I wonder how Lorelei is doing with Hape? I haven't heard from them in a while…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REALIZE DEFENSE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Skull Guardian inside a glowing sphere of energy.

**Card Description: **Select one Attack Position Monster you control who has a base ATK lower than its base DEF. Switch it to face-up Defense Position.

_Note: "Realize Defense" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Clash of the Dragons (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**JOINT FUTURE (Trap Card)**

**Counter Trap**

**Image: **The image on this card was not clear.

**Card Description: **Discard 1 card from your hand. Negate the activation of an opponent's Spell or Trap Card, and send it back to the owner's deck.

_Note: "Joint Future" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Signs of Doom (Part 3)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. Also note that this card was a Normal Trap in the anime, but I have made it a Counter Trap because its effect fits the description of one._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: The more clues I find, the more mysteries I find I have to solve. It seems the toymaker that Bartholomew directed me to was once a master craftsman who at one point had more than one thing in common with Geppetto.**_

_**A duel starts, and once again, my deck is different; only this time, the Monsters in it are a group that few take seriously. Are the gods laughing at me? Perhaps… Or maybe they are testing me by giving me this deck that few have been able to master, and even fewer have been able to tolerate. **_

"_**Semblance of Life; The Clockwork Dolls" is coming soon. **_

_**I will know the truth.**_


	10. Semblence of Life The Clockwork Dolls

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL TEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Semblance of Life**

**The Clockwork Dolls**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Ben looked at the sign over the storefront:

**Willy's Widgets**

**Hand-Crafted Toys**

On the right side of the sign was a painting of an old-fashioned toy tin soldier and on the left was a painting of a pretty female fairy with a wand.

Ben looked at the merchandise on display in the windows. Clearly, these were not the type of toys that factories in Hong Kong churned out by the thousands. There were hand-painted dolls shaped like Dutch clog dancers, marionettes shaped like French clowns, dolls shaped like princesses dancing on jeweled orbs, and a _huge _dollhouse that Barbie would likely have envied. Ben was fixated on it for a few minutes… So much care had gone into its construction, right down to the vines painted on its walls.

It all seemed innocent enough, so he went inside. A small bell rang as opened the door.

Inside were more toys, mostly wind-ups, occupying shelves and display tables. He was very surprised by a sign that said "Feel free to touch anything!" Clearly, as detailed as these toys were, they were not fragile.

His eyes fell on a display of four wind-ups, depicting the four characters from _The Wizard of Oz, _set against a diorama depicting the Emerald City. He picked up the Tin Man wind-up and examined it carefully.

On a whim, he wound the key in the doll's back, and then set it back down. As he did, the doll began to dance. Music came from it, along with a familiar song:

_When a man's an empty kettle, he should be worth his mettle,_

_And yet I'm torn apart..._

_Though I might be assumin' that I might be kinda human_

_If I only had a heart..._

"Amazing..." whispered Ben.

"I see that one got your attention," said a cheery voice.

Ben turned around, and saw a small man, not quite as small as Bartholomew, but still small, with grey hair and a full beard, wearing old fashioned glasses and a pair of overalls. The overalls contained pouches that held small tools.

"Hey…" said Ben. "Did you build all of these toys?"

"Oh yeah," said the small man. "Willy Sourdough's the name, of the honorable Sourdough clan."

"You're a gnome, right?" asked Ben.

Willy nodded.

"So what can I do for you today, my good sir?" asked the gnome. "Looking for a gift for a daughter? Niece? Child friend?

"Here… Let me show you something new I just came up with…"

He took something down off of a shelf. It looked like a Christmas nutcracker.

"This is going to be big come the holidays," he said with a chuckle. "It's a music box shaped like a nutcracker. You wind it up, and it plays all twenty minutes of Tchaikovsky's _Nutcracker Suite!"_

Ben sighed.

"I wish I knew if I had a daughter to give it to…" he muttered.

"Uh… I don't follow…" said Willy.

"Look…" said Ben. "A brownie named Bartholomew sent me… He said you knew a little about combining magic with technology?"

A serious look crossed Willy's face. He put the nutcracker back on the shelf.

"Have a seat, have a seat my friend," he said, as he reached for two folding chairs. "Indeed I do…"

Ben sat down.

"See, I'm technically retired now…" said Willy. "But I used to be a great gnome engineer…

"I used to know more about machines than most humans, or even most gnomes. Tell me, friend, you ever hear of something called an autognome?"

"Uh, no..." replied Ben. "Should I have?"

"It's an automaton," explained Willy. "A robotic gnome made of clockworks and powered by magic... Only the best gnome engineers know how to build them.

"They're built for protection, exploration, defense, and prospecting. They're smarter than golems, and can do more things. They all follow three directives: Defend gnomes from danger, defend themselves from danger, and defend babies and children from harm."

"Seems innocent enough," said Ben.

"Mmm…" said Willy. "The third directive was designed with only good intentions, but it never specified the species of the young ones the autognomes are supposed to protect, which is the biggest problem when using them.

"Another problem is, they sometimes malfunction. But I seemed to solve that problem when I built one several years ago. He was really friendly, and he never malfunctioned. He seemed perfect."

"It would take exceptional skill to build something like that..." said Ben.

Willy shrugged.

"I'm an exceptional builder," he said.

"So what happened to him?" asked Ben.

Willy sighed.

"A _delightful_ individual insulted him," he replied, "calling him a, if I remember correctly, 'soulless semblance of life with no more heart than a player piano'. Trouble is, he realized it was true. He started to get depressed by it. And I couldn't exactly find a psychiatrist who could help.

"Eventually, he just stopped working. Nothing I could do would get him started again.

"But that's all water under the bridge. Since then, I just make toys. So, what brings you here?"

"Well…" said Ben, looking at the Duel Disk on his arm.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lorelei led Hape into a large room. It looked like a gymnasium at first glance, and the usual accoutrements were there – mats, towels racks, and a water cooler. However, the walls were decorated with items that were clearly made for a different purpose.

"Nice décor," said Hape. "I'm guessing 16th Century Spain?"

Lorelei chuckled.

"They belong to Uly," she said. "Some people collect stamps, some people collect coins, he collects old instruments of interrogation.

"But don't worry, he doesn't actually use these… Far too antiquated. Doomdreamers have their own methods…"

"I'll bet…" said Hape. "So…"

"Now, let's see how good you are at sparring," said Lorelei, as she took two swords off the wall.

She tossed one to Hape, and he caught it.

"Shouldn't we be wearing fencing gear and…" said Hape.

Then he stopped short.

"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed, looking at the sword. "These are real!"

Lorelei grinned. She made a stance with hers.

"Fool…" she said. "You spar with a Doomdreamer… You play for keeps…"

Hape barely managed to parry the blow that was aimed at him. Lorelei quickly followed up with another, and he grunted as he defended again.

"You're insane…" he growled, as she tried to push him down with her blade against his.

"Duh…" she said.

Then he lifted his foot, and kicked her off.

"Seems you have some fight in you," she chuckled.

Then he went on the offensive. He thrust, and then cut. Lorelei blocked both moves, but she took a step backwards.

There was a pause.

Hape made a thrust, and unfortunately for Lorelei, she didn't know it was a feint. Lorelei fell for it, and as she tried to make a counter-attack, Hape responded with a move that she recognized… But it came from a style she thought was no longer practiced.

She teetered, made dizzy from the move, and that's when Hape made his true move. He made a mighty thrust that drove home, impaling her through the chest. Lorelei fell to the floor, the sword driven cleanly through her torso.

Hape took a minute to catch his breath. He looked at her.

"Eh, serves her right…" he said.

As he turned around, he heard her say "Ow…"

Hape slowly looked back, and saw her get up, with a painful grimace on her face. Slowly, she grabbed hold of the hilt of the sword, and carefully pulled it from her chest.

"Ow, ow, ow…" she grunted, as she slowly pulled it out.

Finally, she dropped the bloodstained weapon on the ground. Her shirt was stained by blood, but the wound had apparently closed.

She looked at Hape, who was looking at her like he was watching a UFO land.

"Uh…" he said. "How…"

"What?" asked Lorelei. "You never heard of regeneration before?"

"Only on trolls, wendigos, and other ugly creatures..." said Hape.

Lorelei laughed.

"I'll take that as a compliment," she said. "The Dark God has very few loyal followers... He treats them well... And you're pretty good, buster… Play your cards right, and he just might smile on you too…"

"Lorelei!" shouted Tiberius's voice.

Then his face appeared on a screen behind them.

"What is it, Uly?" sighed Lorelei, turning around.

"Stop fooling around and come to the communications room," he replied. "The Triad wants to speak to both of us."

Lorelei's cheerful expression turned serious.

"Go back to that lounge," she said to Hape. "Feel free to use the TV and the snack bar. I have to speak to some important people…

"I have no idea how long it will take."

"Have to talk to the bigwigs that run this place?" asked Hape.

"Uh… more or less, yeah…" replied Lorelei.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After a lengthy explanation, Willy had swapped his regular glasses for one that had a jeweler's lens for the left eye, and was studying the Duel Disk.

"You say that it changes the deck each time you duel?" he asked.

"Well, it has once," replied Ben. "First it was a Psychic Deck… Then it was Vision Heroes."

"What deck is it now?" asked Willy, as he handed it back. "Take a look."

Ben took the deck from the holder, and looked through it.

"Still Vision Heroes, I'm afraid," he said.

"Hmm…" said Willy.

He rubbed his beard and looked at it.

"It's clearly giving me a strange feeling," he said. "If I was an honest to goodness wizard, I might be able to expand on that feeling… But unfortunately, I am not…

"Still, maybe I could try something… Ben… Seeing as it's time for me to close shop anyway, what would you say to a duel right now?"

"With you?" asked Ben.

"Why yes," said Willy. "We can see for sure if this Duel Disk changes the deck every time you duel.

"And hey, it may even be fun! I haven't dueled in ages!"

"Well… If you say so…" said Ben.

He put the Disk back on as Willy put the "Closed" sign on the storefront door, and then produced a Duel Disk of his own from a chest.

"In fact," said Willy, "maybe if I actually see this thing work, I can tell you more. We'll just have to see."

"All right…" said Ben.

The Duel Disk flicked open, and the Life Point counters set.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Willy: 8,000)**

Ben quickly drew five cards. He looked at them, and raised an eyebrow.

"Did the deck change again?" asked Willy.

"Uh huh…" said Ben.

_And apparently, _he thought, _this time, whatever cosmic force sent me this thing is playing some sort of joke that I'm the butt of…_

_All right… This is difficult, but not impossible…_

"Why don't you go first?" asked Willy.

Ben drew a sixth card.

"I'll set a Monster," he said, as a reversed Monster appeared.

"…and I'll end there."

"All right, my move," said Willy. "Draw…"

He drew a card, and then looked over his hand.

"I call to the field, Karakuri Merchant mdl 177 'Inashichi'!"

With a whir and a clank, a figure that was man-sized and man-shaped, but clearly not a man, strode onto the field in front of Willy. It looked like a mechanical man made of wood and twine. Its head was expressionless, having only two glowing eyes, one on top of the other. It was dressed in clothing resembling that of a peasant from feudal Japan, with a coolie hat (made of wood rather than straw) and it held a yoke on its shoulders, from which a parcel hung from either end. (500 ATK)

"Kara-what?" said Ben, in surprise.

"Karakuri!" said Willy. "They were automations that were built in Japan from the 17th to 19th Centuries, man-sized puppets made from clockworks. They weren't true robots… Like the wind-up toys I make, the real karakuri dolls could only move in predetermined patterns.

"This is reflected by some effects that the Monsters I use share. Most Karakuri Monsters must attack if they are able to, and if they are attacked, they automatically switch to Defense Mode.

"However… First I get to use this one's effect… By Normal Summoning it, I get to take any card from my deck with the word 'Karakuri' in its name."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it. Then he played a Spell Card.

"And they're still Machines, so since this one has only 500 Attack Points, I can play Machine Duplication to summon two more Karakuri Merchants."

Two twins of the first Karakuri Merchant appeared to either side of it. (500 ATK x2)

"Now, like I said," continued Willy, "these constructs have no choice but to attack. And since your Monster most likely has more than 500 Defense Points, I'm Equipping one of them with the Ballista of Rampart Smashing."

He played the Equip Spell, and a long spear with a bladed head appeared in the hands of the center Karakuri.

"With this Equip, it will gain 1,500 Attack Points whenever it attacks a set Monster. And I think it will do just that…"

The Equipped Karakuri lurched forward, clanking and clattering with an uneven gait. Its Attack Score rose to 2,000. The defensive Monster appeared on the card… It was a small, blue gremlin with an oval head, big eyes, and thin limbs. The spear struck, and it shattered.

"That was Ojama Blue," said Ben. "And when it's destroyed by battle, I get to take two cards from my deck with the word 'Ojama' in them."

He took two cards from his deck, looked at them, and added them to his others.

"Hmm…" said Willy. "Ojamas, huh?"

"You know about them?" asked Ben.

"Of course," replied Willy. "Manjyome Jun caused a big sensation when he used them during his Pro League career."

Ben looked at him funny.

"Just how old are you?" he asked.

Willy rubbed his beard again.

"Not sure..." he replied. "Gnomes don't celebrate birthdays... Let's see… Given the current year, I'd say I'm around three-hundred and forty, give or take. But anyway…"

The other two Karakuri lunged at Ben, and slugged him in the face.

"Don't let your guard down now!" laughed Willy. "To end my turn, I'll play Karakuri Anatomy."

He fit a card into his Disk, and a Continuous Spell Card appeared.

**(B: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 8,000)**

"Draw…" said Ben, drawing a card.

"I play Monster Reincarnation," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "So, I toss one card…"

He discarded a card from his hand.

"…and I get my Ojama Blue back…"

He took Ojama Blue from his discard slot.

"Let me guess," said Willy, "the card you tossed was Ojamagic."

"That's right," said Ben. "Which means I get to take Ojama Yellow, Ojama Green, and Ojama Black from my deck."

Three cards appeared in his free hand.

"Then, I summon Ojama Red!"

In a small burst of light, another Ojama appeared, this one – obviously – red, with a bulb-shaped head, and a yellow scarf around its neck. (0 ATK)

"When Ojama Red is Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon all the Ojamas I can from my hand in Attack Mode. So everyone come on out!"

He threw four more cards on his Disk. First Ojama Blue appeared. Then came the three original Ojamas: a yellow one with eyes on stalks, a green one with one eye and a lolling tongue, and a black, chubby one with a big nose and a big grin. (0 ATK x4)

"So I guess now you're going to use that Hurricane Spell…" said Willy, nervously.

"Not exactly…" said Ben.

He opened the Field Slot on his Disk.

"I play the Field Spell, Ojama Country!"

He played the card, and a bright light enveloped the room. As the light subsided, the scenery had changed, and they were surrounded by a village full of the type of houses that cartoons depicted teddy bears and flower fairies living in. An odd smell, sort of like cheap cologne, filled the air.

"Where's this?" asked Willy. "Is this where Ojamas are from?"

"Possibly," replied Ben. "All I know is, they gain a few benefits here. The first one is, if I control at least one Ojama, the Attack and Defense Scores of all Monsters on the field switch."

The Attack Scores of the five Ojamas all became 1,000, while the Attack Scores of the three Karakuri Merchants became 1,500.

"For any Ojama, that's a benefit. It seems to have benefitted your Karakuri too… Or has it? I seem to remember you saying that they'll switch to Defense Mode if I attack them, and their Defense Scores are now only 500.

"Green! Black! Yellow! Wreck those three Karakuri Merchants!"

The three Ojamas flew at the three automations, and as Ben expected, they crouched in Defense Mode. (500 DEF x3) Ojama Green punched one of them, Ojama Black head-butted another, and Ojama Yellow kicked the third with both feet. The three Karakuri shattered into pixels.

"Red, Blue," ordered Ben, "attack Willy directly!"

The two remaining Ojamas charged at the gnome, and gave him two punches, knocking him down.

"Oh my…" said Willy, getting up.

"You all right?" said Ben, somewhat worried.

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Willy. "Never better. This _is _fun! I feel a hundred years younger!"

Ben raised an eyebrow again.

"Uh…" he said. "I think I'm gonna end my turn…"

**(B: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 6,000)**

"Okay then…" said Willy. "I draw one card…"

He drew a card, and looked at it.

"Then I use the effect of Karakuri Anatomy. See, each time one of my Karakuri changed its battle position, this card gained a Karakuri Counter, although it could only hold two. And by sending it to the Graveyard now, I can draw one card per Counter."

The Spell Card vanished, and Willy made two draws.

_Let's see now… _he thought. _This Field Spell is pretty tricky… Got to summon the right Monster here…_

He looked at the Monster he had searched for with the Merchant's effect. It was a useful one called Karakuri Bushi mdl 6318 'Muzanichiha'. It had 1,800 Attack Points, but the Field Spell would make its Attack Points only 600, its usual Defense Score.

_Best save that one for later, _he thought, as he looked at the other cards in his hand. _Ah, this one will do…_

"I call to the field Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 'Sanzank'!" he said.

Another clockwork automaton stepped onto the field. This one appeared to be made as much of metal as it was of wood. It wore a black cloak around its shoulders, held a long knife in its left hand, and a telescope in its right. (1,200 ATK)

"Don't forget," said Ben, "due to my Field Spell, your Karakuri's Attack and Defense Scores are switched."

"I know," said Willy, "but this Monster's Attack Score is exactly the same as its Defense Score, so your Field Spell has no discernable effect on it.

"So now I'll have it attack Ojama Green! Go! Shinobi strike!"

The Karakuri Ninja dashed forward, not as graceful as the typical Ninja was known for, but it still was able to strike hard with its weapon, blowing Ojama Green to pieces.

_He needs all three of the original Ojamas to use the Hurricane Spell Card, _thought Willy. _I'd best prevent him from having them. _

"I'll set one card," said Willy, as a facedown card appeared, "and my turn is over."

**(B: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 6,000)**

Ben made a draw.

"First I play… Polymerization," he said.

He played the Spell Card, and both Ojama Red and Ojama Blue were drawn into a vortex.

"I Fusion Summon… Ojama Knight!"

In a flash of energy, an Ojama dressed in the shining armor of a knight appeared, still wearing the same red shorts that all Ojamas wore over them, with Ojama Yellow's eyestalks protruding from its helmet. It held a sword and a shield. (0 ATK)

"Next, I use its effect, which renders two spaces in your Monster Zone unusable."

Willy looked at his Duel Disk, and saw a tiny Ojama Knight appear there, holding a marker as big as itself. It drew an X on two of the spaces in the Monster Zone, and then vanished.

"Don't forget…" continued Ben, "as long as I control an Ojama, the Field Spell swaps the Attack and Defense of all my Monsters…"

Ojama Knight doubled in size, now towering over the Karakuri Ninja. (2,500 ATK)

"Quite impressive," said Willy.

"I'm only half done," said Ben. "I'm using the second effect of my Field Spell. By discarding one card with the word 'Ojama' in its name, I can Special Summon an Ojama from my Graveyard."

He discarded a copy of Ojama Trio, and Ojama Green reappeared. (0 ATK) –) (1,000 ATK)

"Now, let's battle!" shouted Ben. "Ojama Knight, strike down his Karakuri Ninja!"

Ojama Knight lifted its sword.

"My Karakuri moves to Defense Mode…" said Willy.

The Karakuri Ninja crouched and shielded itself. (1,200 DEF)

"And since it changed its battle position, I can activate THIS!"

His facedown card flipped up.

"It's called Karakuri Trick House. I can now destroy any card on the field. I could destroy your Knight…

"But, seeing as you could revive it by using your Field Spell, that's what I'm going to get rid of."

The village around them crumbled into dust, and the toy store around them reappeared. Ojama Knight fell back to zero Attack Points, and when it swung its sword against the Karakuri, the weapon snapped, and it tumbled backwards. The three normal Ojamas also fell to zero Attack Points.

"Yeah, well…" said Ben, "I still have someone who can dish out some damage. I move to my second Main Phase, and summon the Man-Thro' Tro."

As he played the card, a big, fat ogre with floppy folds of skin lumbered onto the field. (1,000 ATK)

"Eh?" said Willy.

"This big guy's effect is kind of like Cannon Soldier," said Ben, "but he does 800 points of damage per Monster sacrificed.

"However, I can only sacrifice Normal Monsters… And I can't use tokens."

Man-Thro' Tro grabbed Ojama Green, Ojama Yellow, and Ojama Black.

"As you might expect, Ojamas make excellent ammunition!"

The ogre hurled the three Ojamas, one by one, and Willy, was knocked over as he was hit by them.

"Ooh…" he said. "I never liked dodge ball…"

"Okay…" said Ben. "I'll set one card…"

A reversed card appeared.

"And I'll end my turn."

**(B: 5,800) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,600)**

Willy quickly made a draw.

"I call to the field Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 'Nisamu'," he said.

Another Karakuri appeared, this one made mostly of wood with a few metal gears in its joints. It had a barrel-like apparatus on its back, one red eye on its otherwise featureless face, a rope tied around its waist like a belt, and carried a spear made of bamboo. (1,400 ATK)

"Next, I move my Ninja to Attack Mode," he continued.

The Karakuri Ninja stood up. (1,200 ATK)

"And it will attack your Man-Thro Tro!"

Sanzank leapt at the huge ogre, and stabbed its dagger into the huge Beast-Warrior's gut. Man-Thro Tro's eyes bugged out, and then it shattered.

"Next, my Soldier attacks your Knight!" exclaimed Willy.

Nisamu rushed at Ojama Knight, spear first…

"I activate… Book of Moon!" shouted Ben, as his set Spell Card lifted up. "I'll use it to flip my Monster into set position!"

Ojama Knight vanished, and was replaced by a set Monster.

Willy frowned, and threw a card into his Disk.

"I have a Quickplay Spell too," he said. "Golden Gearbox! It boosts my Karakuri's Attack Score by 500 and its Defense Score by 1,500."

(1,900 ATK)

"So with 500 more Attack Points, it will cushion the blow."

Ojama Knight appeared on the card, shielding itself. (2,500 DEF) The Karakuri Solider tried to stab with its spear, only for the weapon to snap, and for it to fall on its back.

Willy looked at his Duel Disk. At least Ojama Knight was no longer sealing two spaces in his Monster Zone, because it had been flipped facedown.

"I end my turn," he said.

**(B: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,000)**

"I draw one card…" said Ben.

He drew a card.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode," he said, as a set Monster appeared, "and then move Ojama Knight to Attack Mode."

Ojama Knight stood up. (0 ATK)

"Huh?" said Willy.

"I play an Equip Spell," said Ben, as he played his last card. "Shield Attack! By playing this, the Equipped Monster's Attack and Defense switch. So once again, my Ojama goes from pathetic to powerful."

Ojama Knight grew to twice its size again, and a new sword appeared in its hand. (2,500 ATK)

"Now, let's try this again… Attack his Karakuri Ninja!"

Ojama Knight flew at the mechanized assassin. Sanzank crouched in Defense Mode, and the Knight's sword fell, smashing it to pieces.

"I'll end my turn there."

Willy made a draw.

It was the Trap Card, Bottomless Trap Hole.

_Heh, _he thought. _A fat lot of good this will do me against a bunch of Ojamas… The only Monster he might have that it would work on would be Snipe Hunter._

He looked at the facedown Monster.

_I have a pretty good idea what that is… I don't think I want to attack it just yet…_

He turned the card on his Disk, and Nisamu knelt in Defense Mode. (200 DEF)

"That will be all for this turn," he said.

"I thought you said that your Monsters had to attack," said Ben.

"I said that they had to attack _if able," _replied Willy. "It can't attack if it's in Defense Mode, now can it?"

"I… guess not…" said Ben, as he made a draw.

_A Trap Card… _he thought.

"All right, Willy, I'm setting this card facedown," he said, as he fit it into his Disk.

"Then my Knight is going to smash your Soldier!"

Ojama Knight brought its sword down on the Karakuri Soldier, blowing it to shards.

"Thank you!" said Willy. "Now I can activate its effect.

"See, when Nisamu is destroyed, I get to Special Summon a low-Level Karakuri from my deck in Attack Position.

"I choose Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 'Nishipachi'."

A new Karakuri appeared. This one was also made of wood, but was also well-dressed, in what appeared to be an old-fashioned Japanese military officer's formal wear. (500 ATK)

"By summoning it, I can change the Battle Position of any Monster on the field. So I choose to change Ojama Knight to Defense Mode."

The armored Ojama knelt and sheathed its sword. (0 DEF)

"Okay…" said Ben, slowly. "I end my turn…"

"My move!" exclaimed Willy.

He drew a card.

"I summon Karakuri Bushi mdl 6318 'Muzanichiha'!" he said.

A new Karakuri appeared. This one was, like the Ninja, made of both wood and metal. It wore a very large coolie hat (which was made of straw, unlike the Merchant's) and held a weapon that looked like a katana, but made of wood. (1,800 ATK)

"I almost forgot to mention…" said Willy. "My Karakuri Strategist is a Tuner Monster…"

The two Karakuri flew towards the ceiling. Nishipachi faded into three glowing stars, while Muzanichiha faded into four.

"_Behold as the clockwork machinations contained within these constructs combine to form an automaton of incredible power!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 'Burei'!"_

The largest Karakuri yet walked onto the field. Unlike the others, this one was all-metal, and designed to resemble a suit of Japanese plate armor. Ben also noticed that it was moving far more smoothly that the other Karakuri he had seen – unlike the other ones, this was a very well-built Machine. Oddly, it had no weapon, only a fan-like device in its right hand. (2,600 ATK)

"You notice a difference already?" asked Willy. "This Karakuri is a superior design. It doesn't have to attack every round, and it won't be forced into Defense Mode if you attack it.

"And it has two powerful effects. First, by Synchro Summoning it, I'm able to summon another Karakuri from my deck. So, I'll summon Karakuri Ninja mdl 919 'Kuikku'."

Another of the wooden clockworks appeared, this one holding twin daggers. Despite the lack of features on its face, the long hair going down the back of its head and the style of its clothing gave the impression that this was a female Karakuri. (1,700 ATK)

"Also," continued Willy, "once per turn, I'm able to switch the Battle Position of any Monster on the field. And I choose your set Monster."

The Shogun started waving its fan. Ben's facedown Monster flipped into Attack Mode. As Willy had expected, Morphing Jar appeared, and let out a cackle. (700 ATK)

Willy grinned. He discarded the four cards in his hand, and made five draws. Ben simply made five draws.

"All right!" said Willy. "Time to show you what these Karakuri are capable of… Kuikku, slay his Ojama Knight!"

With the same uneven gait, the Karakuri Ninja charged at Ojama Knight. With two slashes of daggers, the armored Ojama was blown to bits.

"Since it destroyed a Monster, I get to use its effect, and Special Summon a low-Level Karakuri from my Graveyard in Defense Mode."

Karakuri Bushi appeared again, kneeling and holding its sword in its lap. (600 DEF)

"Shogun, blow that Morphing Jar away!" continued Willy. "Storm of the Shogun!"

The Shogun started beating its fan again, causing a virtual hurricane. Ben braced himself as the grinning Jar was eroded into sand.

"I set one facedown card, and end my turn," said Willy, as a set card appeared. "It's your move."

_My Karakuri Klock should prevent any attempt to attack, _he thought, _so long as I have a Karakuri. _

**(B: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,000)**

Ben paused for a minute. Then he made a draw.

"I play… Ojamandala," he said, as he played a Spell Card.

"Eh?" said Willy. "That… Sounds familiar, but…"

"I give up 1,000 Life Points," said Ben, "and Yellow, Black, and Green return to the field."

The three original Ojamas leapt onto the field, and knelt in Defense Mode. (1,000 DEF x3)

Then he fit two cards into his Disk, and two more set cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

"It's your move…" he said.

**(B: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,000)**

Willy chuckled as he made a draw.

"You must have forgotten," he said. "Once per round, my Shogun can change the Battle Position of any Monster on the field…"

The mechanical Shogun beat its fan again, and Ojama Yellow leapt into Attack Mode. (0 ATK) Then Willy played a Spell Card.

The Karakuri Bushi moved into Attack Mode as well. (1,800 ATK)

"Shogun… Attack Ojama Yellow!"

Burei started beating its fan again. Ojama Yellow struggled, but exploded into shards.

"Kuikku, you next!"

The Ninja leapt at Ojama Black, and made a stab with its daggers, blowing it out of existence.

Willy lifted his hand, and Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 'Nishipachi' appeared again. (1,600 DEF)

"You remember what Nishipachi can do, right?" he asked.

Ojama Green moved into Attack Mode. (0 ATK)

Muzanichiha made a cut with his sword, slicing it in half.

"Well, that was…" started Willy.

Then he noticed the score. Ben's Life Points were untouched.

Then he noticed that Ben had activated a Trap Card.

"I see…" he said. "Hallowed Life Barrier…"

"I simply had to toss a card," said Ben, "and I take no damage this round."

Then another of his facedown cards shot up.

"Now I activate another Trap Card!" he exclaimed. "Over Limit!

"By paying only 500 Life Points, all Normal Monsters with 1,000 or less Attack Points that were destroyed this turn by battle are Special Summoned to my side of the field."

The three Ojamas appeared once again. (0 ATK x3)

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Willy. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!

"Heh… I guess it's the Ojamas' nature... Just when you think they're gone, they turn up again... Kind of like the bloating you get after eating sauerkraut."

He fit a card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Your move... I can hardly wait to see what comes next."

_My Interdimensional Matter Transporter is set, _he thought, _so even if he uses Hurricane, my Shogun will survive._

**(B: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 3,000)**

Ben drew a card.

Then he grinned.

"Oh no…" said Willy. "Don't tell me…"

"No, it's not Hurricane," said Ben, showing him the card.

It was a second Polymerization card.

"Time to bring all three of these little guys together into one big guy…"

The three Ojamas turned into swirls of yellow, green, and black energy, and then that energy burst into an explosion of colorful stars…

The biggest Ojama of them all appeared in front of Ben. When you studied it closely, it became clear that it was an amalgamation of the three Monsters that were fused to summon it. It had Ojama Yellow's eye-stalks, Ojama Green's mouth, and Ojama Black's basic body shape, colored pale white. It wore the same shorts as the other Ojamas, a green cape, and a crown-shaped beanie on top.

Ojama King gave out a loud, throaty laugh. (0 ATK)

"I don't get it…" said Willy. "I don't have enough empty spaces for you to use Ojama Trio… Unless you have a second Ojamandala, I don't see how you could be planning to use Ojamuscle…"

A card slipped out of Ben's deck, and he took it.

"Ojama King has another use," he said. "Since you seem to like Machines so much, I'm going to summon one… I play the Spell Card, Mecha Ojama King Transformation!"

As the Spell Card appeared, Ojama King levitated into the air, and magical energy surrounded it. Its skin became metallic, and its joints became mechanical. The regular Ojama King had been replaced by Mecha Ojama King. (0 ATK)

"As you can see," said Ben, "Mecha Ojama King has as many Attack Points as any other Ojama – zero. But it can also summon an Ojamachine once per turn."

There was an aura of light, and a small, grinning robot version of Ojama Yellow appeared in front of Mecha Ojama King. (0 ATK)

"And this little guy has an effect too…"

Ojamachine Yellow blurred, like a static image on a screen. Then the image spread, and the one Ojamachine Yellow turned into four. (0 ATK x4)

Willy's hand tensed. He knew this strategy. He had seen several duelists lose after Manjyome had used it.

_Oh, what am I worried about? _he thought. _When he tries to attack my Shogun, I'll trigger my Karakuri Klock, and then…_

Then Ben's last facedown card lifted up, the one he had set before Morphing Jar was flipped.

"Solar Ray?" shouted Willy.

"That's right," said Ben. "It inflicts 600 points of damage for every Light-Attribute Monster I have.

"And since I have five, well… You seem pretty smart… You do the math."

_I just remembered something… _thought Willy. _When I was a hundred years younger, things weren't all that pleasant…_

Then he screamed as a super-intense beam of light shot down, striking him.

**(B: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (W: 0)**

"Whoa…" he said, as he held his head.

He got up. He took a deep breath.

"One thing's for sure, Ben…" he said. "You're a powerful duelist… I haven't seen anyone since Manjyome himself use Ojamas with such skill… And even he rarely used _only _Ojamas… He usually combined them with either Armed Dragons or Union Machines.

"I wish I could tell you more about that Duel Disk but…"

He stopped short.

"Hey, wait just a minute…"

He took a wallet out of his overalls, and started looking through it.

"I may not be able to analyze that thing… But I know someone who should be able to as easy as going from point A to point B…"

"Really?" asked Ben.

Willy took a business card out of the wallet and handed it to Ben.

"There you go, Ben," he said. "The store mentioned on that card belongs to an associate of mine. If he can't explain that Duel Disk, I dare say nobody can."

Ben looked at the card.

**The Parted Veil**

Rare Books

"_The greatest knowledge lies within."_

The card also had a street address and a phone number.

"Where is this place?" asked Ben.

"St. Louis," said Willy. "It belongs to a gnome named Kesto Brighteyes. Unlike me, Kesto is a true wizard, and he's a wealth of information on all things supernatural. He's a little eccentric, but he's got a lot up here…"

He pointed to his head.

"Now, I believe Kesto is lecturing at the Academy of Modern Wizardry in Vienna right now, but he should be back the day after tomorrow."

"But how will I get to St. Louis?" asked Ben.

"Just call the phone number on that card," said Willy. "Kesto will tell you what to do."

Ben looked at the card for a long time.

"Thank you…" he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Tiberius and Lorelei were in the middle of a room, with Graves standing in the background. They were talking to three beings on a holographic screen – the same three who had scolded the Dread Emperor after his duel with Ben.

They were, in fact, the Triad, Doomdreamers who could communicate better with the Dark God than any other. They were the most powerful followers of the Dark God currently alive, and were the uncontested leaders of the cult. They were so terrible, in fact, that even other Doomdreamers were frightened of them. Tiberius and Lorelei hated to admit it, but they were scared every time they had to speak to these three… And Graves? He wasn't even a Doomdreamer, and was downright petrified to be here, but he had made a career out of not losing his nerve, and figured that as long as he simply didn't look at them, he wouldn't panic.

Again, the Triad were seated on thrones, and no other features could be seen in the dark room they were in.

The old man on the highest throne was the First. An exiled Incantifer, he had been with the cult longer than any other member. No-one knew his age (Incantifers could theoretically live forever unless they were killed), although he claimed to be old enough to remember the days when the Dark God was not imprisoned. This was a lie, but there could be no questioning the incredible dark powers he could harness.

The aboleth next to him was the Second. Most likely the most powerful member of its species known on Earth, it was nonetheless an exile among them. (As egotistical as they were, an aboleth who chose to even acknowledge a power higher than its species, let alone serve one, were thought of with disdain.) It had not been with the cult as long as the First had, but it was older than he was in terms of age, and it actually could remember the time when the Dark God was free, albeit only through the assimilated racial memory common to all aboleth.

The female member, the Third, was the newest and youngest member of the Triad. She was a genasi, a very rare type of Shadow-Touched. A genasi's Shadowkind parent is an elemental being of some type, and more often than not, magic is involved in their births. In the Third's case, she was born on the Elemental Plane of Wind and raised in the court of Yan-C-Bin, the Evil Elemental Lord of Wind. She was later given to the cult as a gift (the Evil Elemental Lords claim that the Dark God spawned them, so they are allies with his priesthoods) and she quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Doomdreamer and recently becoming the Third when that position opened.

No-one knew exactly where the Triad made their home base. Most likely, it was in some pocket dimension or Lower Plane. They rarely left it, wherever it was, rarely visiting any lesser temples. They weren't welcome visitors. Having one of them visit you was never a good sign, and usually resulted in someone dying, or at least being taken away and never seen again.

Tiberius had just finished explaining the strange Equip Spells that Hape had shown him, which seemed to represent the artifacts of the Dark Forge.

"Interesting…" said the First.

"So, you think these cards will work towards our goals?" asked Tiberius.

"I didn't say that," replied the First. "I said they were interesting."

"Well, uhm…" said Tiberius, nervously. "He also said that someone is helping the local Shadowchasers who may be a threat…"

The Triad looked at each other.

"That's interesting too," said the Third. "The Dread Emperor said the same thing…"

"_Normally we'd be wary of taking anything he says at face value," _said the Second's telepathic voice, _"but if this Hape fellow has also said it…_

"_Does this Hape show any special skills?"_

"His fighting technique is reminiscent of the ancient Suloise Knights," replied Lorelei.

The Triad looked at each other again.

"Perhaps these new cards are indeed worthy of our attention," said the First. "Find two expendable minions and have them test two of these cards out by making a distraction. We'll monitor their work from here."

The holographic screen vanished.

"Graves, go get Gripilus," said Tiberius, turning around. "Lorelei, go check on our other recent recruit. In the meantime, I'll dig something up that might give us a further advantage while they're making this distraction..."

Tiberius walked out of the room via one exit as Graves and Lorelei walked out of two others.

_Sending an assassin after a Shadowchaser directly is pointless,_ he thought,_ due to the bargain that Jalal made centuries ago with... uhm, that other group. However, never let it be said that I didn't know how to exploit loopholes. If this nameless threat to our temple is staying with them as a guest, he's not included in the agreement, and I'm free to send a professional to at least go for a look._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**OJAMANDALA (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **The three original Ojamas as figures on a Buddhist painted mandala.

**Card Description: **Pay 1,000 Life Points. Special Summon 1 "Ojama Yellow", 1 "Ojama Green", and 1 "Ojama Black" from your Graveyard.

_Note: "Ojamandala" was first used by Manjyome in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Champion or Chazz-been", and became a staple of his deck after that. __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MECHA OJAMA KING TRANSFORMATION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **The image on this card was not shown.

**Card Description: **Tribute 1 "Ojama King" you control. Special Summon 1 "Mecha Ojama King" from your hand or deck. If you control a face-up "Ojama King", you can add this card from your deck to your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MECHA OJAMA KING (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 3,000

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except via the effect of "Mecha Ojama King Transformation". Once per turn, you may Special Summon 1 "Ojamachine Yellow", 1 "Ojamachine Green" or 1 "Ojamachine Black" from your hand or deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**OJAMACHINE YELLOW (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **When this card is Summoned, Special Summon as many "Ojamachine Yellow Tokens" as possible, with the same ATK, DEF, Level, Type, Attribute, and effects as this card. You take no Battle Damage from battles involving this card. When this card is destroyed by battle, inflict 300 points of damage to your opponent.

_Note: The preceding three cards were first used by Manjyome in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Champion or Chazz-been". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHIELD ATTACK (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A cartoonish picture of an old man hitting an oriental soldier on the head in a bar with a beer keg.

**Card Description: **Switch the ATK and DEF of the Monster Equipped with this card.

_Note: "Shield Attack" was first used by Judai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Blinded by the Light (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: I've always hated the underground dueling arena near Hyde Park. Like most such places, it turns the game of Duel Monsters into a brutal cockfight. But as much as I'd like to step in and close it down, Dugan has kept saying that until Shadows are involved, it's not our problem.**_

_**My chance to handle this eyesore has finally come, because now the place has someone fighting there who is specifically requesting Shadowkind as opponents. Taking him down and taking the place down in the process will be a pleasure…**_

_**There's just one problem…**_

_**I recognize this guy's name… And he's supposed to be dead. **_

"_**A Vestige From the Past; The Predator" is next.**_


	11. A Vestige from the Past The Predator

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL ELEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**A Vestige from the Past**

**The Predator**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As Ben had quickly learned, meals were often quite a social affair among Shadowchasers. The morning came, and Bartholomew served buttermilk pancakes and sausage to the group. Clearly, one of the benefits of living here was that you could eat well.

"Bartholomew, I do hope you don't mind cooking for a fourth person," said Dugan, as he sipped his coffee.

"Heck, Dugan," said Bartholomew, "You could put me in charge of your old mess hall and I wouldn't have a problem. Besides, it's nice to have someone else appreciate my cooking."

"We appreciate it!" said Nichole.

"Well, Ben, we might have some good news," said Dugan. "Taka is putting the word out through the underworld, and as soon as anyone he has connections with recognizes your description, he'll let us know."

"Freddy is keeping his ears open too," added Nichole. "Who knows? He might even make a conscious effort to find something out."

"Thanks guys…" said Ben.

"It's too bad that Xing had to leave town," said Karl. "But as I was saying, this Shelly person was most likely trouble. I think she had a demonic graft."

"A what?" asked Ben.

"It's a new 'fad' among wizards who have connections to demons," replied Nichole. "They combine surgery and magic to replace part of the subject's body, usually a limb, with a demonic equivalent. It confers some advantages… And some disadvantages.

"The biggest problem is, these wizards don't always bother with some important details… Like asking the patient's permission."

"Well…" said Dugan, "I'm afraid that without even knowing this girl's last name, there's very little we can do unless she shows up again…"

"Dugan, I had meant to ask you," said Ben. "Do you know of someone named Kesto Brighteyes?"

As he said the name, Nichole grumbled a little, and took a very big bite of her pancakes.

"Yeah…" said Dugan, looking at Nichole. "We know about him… The Shadowchasers refer to him for matters of research sometimes…"

Nichole grumbled a little more.

"You have to excuse Nichole," said Karl. "Kesto is a member of the Athar…"

"The Athar?" asked Ben. "The group that believes that the gods are frauds?"

"You've heard of them too, huh?" asked Karl. "Yeah… Kesto is a lot less… Forceful than most Athar, but when you belong to that group, you earn a lot of enemies among religious groups."

"What most of Kesto's detractors fail to realize," said Dugan, as he took another pancake from the plate, "is that in this country, we have something called the First Amendment!"

Nichole sighed.

"Out of curiosity, Ben…" she asked, "why do you ask?"

"Oh, just something I found out about…" he replied. "Something I might look into…"

As Dugan wiped his mouth, the computer on the desk started to beep. He got up, and walked over to it.

"Seems we have two situations that need to be looked into, people," he said.

Nichole and Karl gulped the last of their orange juice, and got up to look with him.

"Nichole, you know that underground dueling arena near Hyde Park?" asked Dugan.

"The one you keep saying that we can't deal with because no Shadows are involved?" asked Nichole.

"Well, seems you're gonna get your wish," said Dugan. "Seems Shadows _are _involved now. We have reports that an injured bugbear and orc were just carried out of there."

"I'll handle it," said Nichole. "This will be a pleasure. We got a warrant?"

"Give me two minutes to print it out," said Dugan, as he typed in something. "In the meantime, go get the Marvelous Rod. You may need it."

Nichole nodded, and went down the hallway towards the room where her sword was kept, among other things.

"Karl…" said Dugan. "Here's something else… It looks like our old friend Gripilus is back, trying to raise a ruckus at the Statue of the Republic."

"I'll go get him," said Karl. "I owe that guy from last time… It took me forever to get the smell of that stink bomb out of my jacket."

Ben watched as they left.

"So what now?" he asked.

"Well…" said Dugan. "I've got a few reports to fill out… Maybe you can help label them?"

"I guess…" said Ben, sadly.

"Ben, look…" said Dugan. "I know this is hard on you, and probably downright frightening… But if no-one else can do it, Jalal _will _help you as soon as he gets done with what he's doing. I can guarantee it. Jalal is good at what he does."

"I suppose he knows every trick in the book, right?" asked Ben.

"Hell, he _wrote _the book," replied Dugan. "There's no haystack so big that he can't find the needle in it."

"Thanks…" said Ben. "That's… reassuring…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A nondescript door stood at the far end of an alley at the edge of Hyde Park. Those "in the know" knew that this door led to the local underground dueling arena, a place where dueling was put on for the entertainment of the public, done using very violent and brutal house rules. Most customers who came here hid their identities – not all of them were criminals or lowlifes, but average folk (and the occasional member of the upper class) who simply enjoyed seeing dueling on a level that you couldn't see in the Pro Leagues.

Nichole walked up to the door, and knocked on it. A small slot opened, and two eyes looked out.

"Password?" asked a gruff voice.

Nichole held up the search warrant.

"Shadowchasers," she said. "Open the door, Guido, or I'll knock it down."

"Oh, yeah, sure," said the gruff voice. "I'd like to see you try it…"

Then the eyes opened wide as they saw a Bigby's Clenched Fist rocketing towards the door. The doorman screamed as the door was blown inward, and he was knocked down.

"Well…" groaned the thug, as Nichole walked in, holding a rod topped with a metal fist. "I guess I asked for it…"

Normally, you had to be trained in wizardry to actually cast spells. Spell-storing rods were new gizmos that let practically anyone do so, if used right. A trained wizard cast a supply of spells into the rod, and then anyone could use them at any time by touching the sigils on the rod in the right sequence.

Of course, just _any _spells couldn't be stored in _any _spell-storing rod. The one Nichole had just used was called a Marvelous Rod of Bigby, which was designed to hold the spells invented by the famous archmage it was named after, evocations that employed pure force with a hand and fist theme.

"Guido, what's going on?" shouted a man running up to the door.

Then he saw Nichole.

"Uh oh…" he said, nervously.

Nichole grabbed him by the shirt.

"Hello, Mike," she said.

"Look, Miss Belvins, I can explain!" he said.

"You told us you wouldn't lure Shadowkind here," said Nichole. "Or did you think that the orc and bugbear who were carried out this morning were just _very _ugly humans?"

"It's not my fault, Miss Belvins!" stammered Mike.

His voice fell to a whisper.

"Yesterday, two guys came here… One was a duelist, the other was a guy packing some _very _serious magic! Just ask Guido! The guy turned him into a Gila monster!"

Guido got up and nodded, now very nervous himself.

"It took three hours for the spell to wear off," continued Mike. "The wizard told us that unless his partner could duel here, and unless he got some Shadowkind as opponents, he'd torch this building.

"You do realize, Miss Belvins, that I've never been able to find an insurance company that will cover this place…"

Nichole looked at him.

"Where's this duelist?" she asked.

"You sure you want to deal with him?" asked Mike. "He's _really _good…"

"Take me to him," demanded Nichole.

Mike led Nichole into the common room, which was a combination of a bar, arena, and night club. Not many customers were here presently, but a duel was going on…

…or rather, one was ending. A duelist who looked human delivered the final blow to a dark elf, who screamed and collapsed.

"Can't you give me someone who can last more than four rounds, Mike?" said the duelist. "That was the most pathetic one yet!"

"Hey, bub!" said Nichole.

She looked at the duelist hard. He had brown hair, a goatee with no moustache, and wore khaki clothing. He also had a bullwhip strapped to his belt.

"You want to duel someone who can fight back?" she said. "I'll take you on…"

"Well, well," said the man, with a smug look. "I was wondering when one a' you would show up…

"Sure, I'll duel you… But around here we got certain rules that we follow…"

"Mr. Hunt, this is not a good idea!" protested Mike.

"Shut up, Mike!" shouted the duelist. "And get the equipment."

"Mr. Hunt?" said Nichole, raising an eyebrow.

"That's right!" he replied. "Giese Hunt, at your service."

_Giese Hunt? _thought Nichole. _As in Giese the Spirit Hunter?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Giese the Spirit Hunter was a name that had become legendary among duelists. He had once started out as an average duelist, but had developed the ability to see Duel Spirits, and had even acquired a Spirit Partner, like how Yukai Judai had gained Winged Kuriboh. But by a cruel twist of fate, his Spirit Partner had been stolen.

He didn't adapt to the theft well. It made him unstable, and he became a ruthless hunter of spirits himself, using cruel technology to trap them and drain their energy.

He had a goal, however: He desired to hunt the mythical Rainbow Dragon, and he believed that the key to succeeding was to capture the seven regular Crystal Beasts. The insidious Professor Cobra gave him the chance, allowing him to lure Johan Anderson into a disclosure duel.

However, Johan defeated him, and Giese collapsed from exhaustion due to the dis belt he was wearing. Then a mob of spirits he had previously trapped attacked him, and he vanished without a trace. He was never seen again, and was presumed dead.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_So how can he be here now? _thought Nichole. _He's not only alive, he doesn't seem to have gotten a day older!_

Mike came up to her, and opened a briefcase. Nichole looked at the nasty-looking arm, leg, and neck cuffs inside.

"I suppose those are the things that turn Life Point damage into real damage?" she asked.

"Yep," said Giese. "That's how we do things here… If you're scared, you can just…"

"I'll show you how scared I am!" cursed Nichole. "Mike! Give 'em to me!"

Mike nervously started to attach the devices to Nichole's wrists.

"You going to take me in too after this is over?" he asked.

"Just be quiet," said Nichole. "Don't tell me you didn't see the potential to make a profit from this guy, Mike. If you were really opposed to it, you would have picked up the phone and called us as soon as that wizard left."

Mike sighed as he fastened the last cuff.

Nichole looked at Giese and her Duel Disk activated.

"I'm game if you are," she said.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Giese: 8,000)**

"Draw…" said Giese, making a draw.

He looked over his hand.

"Not bad…" he said. "Meet my Lure Phantom!"

There was a ghoulish giggling, and a silly-looking spook appeared in front of Giese. Despite seemingly being made mostly of transparent vapor, its arms seemed to be at least partially mechanical. (0 ATK)

_Another Monster with zero Attack Points… _thought Nichole. _So what's this one's story?_

Giese fit another card into his Disk, and a reversed card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"That'll be all for now, princess," he said.

Nichole frowned, and made a draw.

She flicked open the Field Slot on her Disk.

"I play Amazoness Village!" she exclaimed.

There was the sound of tribal drums, and the arena faded away. A jungle rose around them, full of thatched huts with a wall made of logs surrounding them.

"Nice backdrop…" chuckled Giese.

"Next, I summon Amazoness Swords Woman!" shouted Nichole, as Swords Woman appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"And being on their home turf gives all Amazons a 200-point bonus to their Attack Scores."

(1,700 ATK)

_And even if his Trap Card destroys Swords Woman, _she thought, _my Field Spell has another effect he won't be able to deal with._

"Attack his Lure Phantom!" she shouted. "Amazoness sword slash!"

Swords Woman hollered a war cry, and dashed towards the silly ghost…

"I activate Lure Phantom's effect!" shouted Giese. "Get her!"

The effect was downright weird. Lure Phantom's hand shot from its wrist, but connected to it by a cord, like some sort of grappling hook. Swords Woman shrieked at it grabbed her by the ankle, and yanked her towards it.

"What's happening?" shouted Nichole.

"Lure Phantom's special effect," said Giese. "When a Monster attacks it, I can send that Monster back to your hand, so long as I send Lure Phantom back to mine."

Lure Phantom gave Swords woman a great hurl, and she flew towards Nichole…

"But before she reaches you…" continued Giese.

His Trap Card flipped up.

"Go, Hunting Net!"

A rocket shot out of the card, and the rocket unfolded into a net, snagging Swords Woman. Nichole looked with horror as Swords Woman was dragged over to Giese's side of the field.

The horror turned to anger when the net set up and suspended her as a prisoner behind Giese.

"What's the big idea, Giese?" cursed Nichole. "You can't just trap my Amazons like they were wild beasts!"

Giese shrugged.

"I sure don't see much difference," he said.

Nichole was about to go over and slug him, when Mike spoke up.

"Nichole, don't!" he shouted. "If you do…"

Then Nichole remembered where she was, and remembered the equipment she was wearing. The rules in the Pro League about physically touching your opponent were likely enforced in a _much _different way here.

"It's still my turn…" she grumbled.

She set a card, and a facedown card appeared in front of her.

"And I'll end it there…"

Giese put a toothpick in his mouth and chewed. Then he drew a card.

"Summoning my Lure Phantom again…" he said.

The goofy specter appeared again. (0 ATK)

"Then I'll set a facedown…"

Another set card appeared behind Lure Phantom.

"…and I end my turn…"

"Oh, give me a break!" exclaimed Nichole, as she drew a card. "Do you actually expect me to fall for the same trick twice?"

She played a card.

"I'm summoning Amazoness Trainee…"

A new Amazon appeared, this one younger than Swords Woman. She had platinum-blonde hair tied in a ponytail, and her bikini top and breechcloth were made of zebra skin. She carried a spiked chain. (1,500 ATK) –) (1,700 ATK)

"But if you think I'm going to take the bait, you're nuts," said Nicole. "I end my turn."

"Well, seems you aren't gullible…" said Giese, as he made a draw. "Guess this Trap Card isn't gonna work…

"So then… I'll play Blasting Vein."

He played the Spell Card, and the set card in front of him – which was indeed a second Hunting Net, was burned to ashes.

"By destroying my set card, I get to draw twice," continued Giese.

He made two draws. Then he chuckled.

"I play Decoy Baby!" he laughed, as he played a Spell Card. "Swords Woman over here is a Warrior… So this Spell Card lets me set a trap for a Warrior that's on the field."

An illusory copy of Swords Woman appeared in front of Trainee. Trainee frowned, and made a rush for it.

"NO! STOP!" shouted Nichole.

But screaming didn't help. Before Trainee made it three steps, another net shot at her, and she was snagged in it, just as Swords Woman was. Nichole clenched her fist as Trainee was dragged to the spot right next to Swords Woman.

"You're making me angry, Giese…" she said.

"What are you so upset about?" asked Giese. "It's not like they're in any real danger… That equipment I used to siphon the energy from Duel Spirits… I don't have it any more… Not yet, at least."

_So he is the same Giese! _thought Nichole.

"So you're just doing this out of some demented idea of fun?" she asked, with a frown.

"Not exactly…" said Giese, as he took another card from his hand. "Your Monsters are in no danger…

"_You, _on the other hand…"

Lure Phantom turned into an orb of energy.

"I sacrifice this critter to summon my Hell Gundog!"

A new Monster appeared where Lure Phantom had been. It was a large bulldog, with a harness on its back holding two cannons, and a spiked collar. It breathed fire as it looked at Nichole. (1,000 ATK)

"Get her!" shouted Giese. "Attack directly!"

Nichole tried to brace herself, even as Hell Gundog's claws stabbed into her, but then the lights on the collar, bracelets, and anklets she was wearing flashed, and electricity coursed through her. She screamed and fell to her knees.

"Feel that?" asked Giese. "When you duel here, you're dueling in Hell itself.

"And by the way… When Hell Gundog dishes out damage, one card in your hand is destroyed."

Nichole caught her breath, and looked at her hand of cards. Her Amazoness Spellcaster card shattered into pixels.

**(N: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 8,000)**

Slowly, she got up. She took some deep breaths.

"Mind if I ask you a question, Giese?" she asked.

"No, I don't bein' _asked," _he replied.

"Why are you here, Giese?" she asked. "I mean weren't you..."

Giese laughed. He took the toothpick out of his mouth and flicked it away.

"What, dead?" he asked. "Heh, well, I guess I was kinda dead... It did wonders... Kinda like therapy."

"Dead people don't just come back to life..." said Nichole.

_Of course, I still don't know how Ben did it… _she thought.

"Really?" asked Giese. "Then explain the Dark Signers. They were dead, hon. Their backs were broken, and their hearts had stopped beating. You can't get deader than that. But the Crimson Dragon gave them their lives back.

"It's not the only entity in the cosmos that can do that, y'know. I can't spill the beans entirely, but let's just say a bunch of... really powerful guys used a spell of some sort, and poof! I'm back among the living."

"Why did they bring _you_ back?" asked Nichole. "Why not some really good duelist like Cobra? That guy you were working for?"

"Because Cobra never worked with these guys," replied Giese. "I did. They're the ones I had bought all my spirit-hunting equipment from.

"What, did you really think I invented all that junk myself? Nah, I went to folks who were experts in the matter. And now, they helped me again...

"So I owe them...

"I set one card and end my turn..."

A reversed card appeared behind Hell Gundog.

"Draw…" said Nichole.

She made a draw.

"I summon Amazoness Sage!" she shouted.

Sage appeared, waving her quarterstaff. (1,400 ATK) –) (1,600 ATK)

"Go, Trap Hole!" shouted Giese, as his facedown card lifted up.

Sage paused. Then a pit trap opened under her feet, and she shrieked as she plummeted into it.

"I was hoping you'd do that…" said Nichole. "I use the other effect of Amazoness Village!"

"HUH?" said Giese. "It has another effect?"

"You got it!" replied Nichole. "Once per round, when an Amazon is destroyed, I get to Special Summon another low-Level Amazon from my deck."

Amazoness Paladin appeared in a flash of light. (1,700 ATK) –) (2,000 ATK)

"And now that you're out of Traps for the moment… Paladin, eviscerate that Hell Gundog!"

Paladin leapt at the demented Beast, and with one swipe of her blade, cut it in half down the middle. Giese cringed as the shock cuffs he was wearing reacted.

"Oh yeah?" he shouted. "I use Hell Gundog's effect! When it goes down, I get to Special Summon another one from my deck!"

A second Hell Gundog appeared, sitting on its hindquarters. (500 DEF)

Then Giese noticed that Nichole had activated a Trap Card.

"Queen's Pawn?" he asked.

Then Amazoness Tiger bounded onto the field. (1,100 ATK) –) (2,100 ATK)

"You like dogs?" asked Nichole. "I'm a cat-person myself…"

The tigress pounced on the second Hell Gundog, tearing it to pieces.

"Not bad…" said Giese, "but I have three of them in my deck…"

A third Hell Gundog appeared. (500 DEF)

"I end my turn," said Nichole.

**(N: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 7,000)**

Giese made a draw.

_This isn't gonna be nice… _he thought. _It's not like I got something to threaten her with like I did when I dueled that kid… But… No pain, no gain, I always say._

He set a card, and a reversed Monster appeared next to Hell Gundog.

"Move," he said.

Nichole made a draw.

"Come on out, Amazoness Chain Master!" she shouted.

Again, another of the Warrior women appeared. This one wore a white fur bikini top and breechcloth, along with fur boots. She had platinum blonde hair worn loose, and carried a long spiked chain. (1,500 ATK) –) (1,700 ATK)

She looked at Giese with a look of absolute fury.

"Eh... Why is she so angry?" said Giese, nervously.

"Uh, Giese..." said Nichole. "In case you didn't notice, Amazoness Trainee, one of the two Amazons you're holding hostage right now, uses a chain as a weapon. Who do you think is training her?"

Giese looked at Trainee and then at Chain Master.

"Oh..." he said.

Paladin rose to an Attack Score of 2,100, while Tiger rose to 2,500.

"Ladies, let's clean up," said Nichole. "Chain Master, the last Gundog!"

Chain Master twirled her chain over her head, and hurled it at the Beast. It roared, and shattered into pixels.

"Paladin, the other Monster!"

Paladin lifted her sword, and Nichole was frankly surprised when she saw the Monster that appeared, It looked like a little, white mouse, wearing a collar that held a gold lock and key, with another key on its tail.

Paladin's sword fell, and it was blown to shards.

_Somehow, Giese didn't strike me as the cute Monsters type, _thought Nichole.

"Tiger, attack him directly!" she shouted.

"Wait…" said Giese.

Tiger didn't wait. She roared, and tackled the Spirit Hunter. Giese screamed as he was shocked by the cuffs he was wearing.

**(N: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 4,500)**

"You like playing in Hell _now?" _asked Nichole.

Giese got up, with sweat pouring down his face.

He drew a card. He grinned an evil grin.

"Oh, I love it…" he said. "In fact…

"Mike! Increase the devices to max power!"

"HUH?" said Nichole.

"Mr. Hunt, please!" said Mike. "Someone might die!"

"You'd better hope she does," said Giese. "It's the only way you'll ever stay out of jail now."

"Mike…" said Nichole. "You have a choice, you know…"

Mike nervously took a remote out of his pocket and looked at it.

"I know…" said Mike. "And I don't want to go to jail…" 

He turned a dial on the device. Nichole felt a tingling and a hum as the settings on the devices she was wired to were changed – and _not _in a good way.

"You're crazy…" she said, pointing to Giese.

"Everyone is in my business…" said Giese. "On with the duel!

"I play my Foolish Burial Spell Card!"

He quickly played the Spell. Then he took a card from his deck, looked at it, and discarded it.

"You say you're a cat-person?" asked Giese. "Well, I have nothing against cats… In fact, I have one myself… Meet Lock Cat!"

He played a card, and a sassy-looking white cat with a golden lock on its collar appeared in front of him. (1,200 ATK)

"By Normal Summoning it, I get to Special Summon a Beast-Type Monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode. I think I'll bring back my Key Mouse."

The cute-looking mouse that Paladin had destroyed last turn appeared next to Lock Cat. (100 DEF)

"And there's more," said Giese. "Because I now have two Beast-Type Monsters on the field, I can bring Chain Dog back from the Graveyard."

A much friendlier-looking dog than Hell Gundog appeared next to Key Mouse and Lock Cat. It was a beagle with a collar and a waistcoat made of golden chains, with a lock and a key on the front. (1,600 ATK)

"Now for my first big surprise," he said. "Because Key Mouse is a Tuner, I can Tune it with Lock Cat and Chain Dog…"

The three Beasts flew into the sky above Amazoness Village. All three of them turned into eight glowing stars, and the Spirit Hunter started to chant.

"_Primal rage focused in the heart of one powerful beast. Beat with a pulse of absolute fury and bring destruction to all in your path!"_

**(*1 + *3 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Garnecia Earthshaker!"_

There was a loud trumpeting, and a huge humanoid creature appeared on Giese's side of the field with a crash. It had a hulking, muscular body with stout limbs, dressed in a kilt and collar with orange streamers as frills. Its head resembled that of an elephant more than anything. (2,200 ATK)

"Wait a minute," shouted Nichole. "That's Garnecia Elefantis!"

"It used to be Garnecia Elefantis," replied Giese. "A Level 7 Normal Monster that fell out of use a long time ago. Now it's a far more powerful Synchro Monster called Garnecia Earthshaker.

"But before I show you what it can do, I'm going to give it a special Equip Spell…"

He fit a card into his Disk.

"By paying 1,000 of my Life Points, I can Equip Garnecia here with the Wings of Decarabia."

Huge, black feathered wings sprouted from Garnecia Earthshaker's back.

"I'm not sure just who Decarabia is," he continued, "but when I Equip this card, I name one Type of Monster… And my Garnecia gains 1,000 Attack Points when battling that Type of Monster."

"Oh, is that so?" asked Nichole. "Well, your Garnecia can't come near my Warrior Amazons until my Tiger is gone, and she's a Beast."

Giese laughed out loud.

"Fine… It'll attack her then!" he laughed. "Garnecia Earthshaker, attack Amazoness Tiger!"

The huge pachyderm charged, causing the floor to tremble. Nichole thought he was nuts… Until Amazoness Tiger sat in Defense Mode. (1,500 DEF)

"My Garnecia has an effect of its own," said Giese. "When it makes an attack, I get to choose what Mode the target is in!"

Garnecia Earthshaker brought its foot down, and squashed Tiger flat. Then the cuffs Nichole was wearing reacted, and she felt like she was being stabbed by electric knives. She screamed.

"Did I mention that my Monster also has a trampling effect?" asked Giese.

Nichole panted for breath.

"I use…" she gasped. "I use the effect… Of Amazoness Village…"

Amazoness Fighter appeared in front of her. (1,500 ATK) –) (1,700 ATK)

"I end my turn," said Giese, with a chuckle.

**(N: 6,300) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 3,500)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Pain… That's what Nichole felt…

Of course, it wasn't like pain was new to her… Or like she hadn't expected it… So many people had tried to tell her, several times, that life was pain…

One time when she was ten, she almost learned that lesson the hard way, and someone broke the news to her, so to speak.

Her brother had told her to stay home, but she had been curious. She followed him, staying out of sight, into an old condemned factory in Riverdale.

And as she watched, hidden behind two garbage cans, three young toughs, whom she later learned were members of the Lords of Hell, a gang that was one of the Blue Serpent's many rivals, jumped him.

Two of the Lords held him by each arm, while the third, who was armed with a pipe, confronted him.

"All right, tough guy," he said, "what's the deal? You think you can just sneak around here without us knowing?"

Marc didn't answer. He just glared at the thug.

"You know what I'm gonna do to you if you don't start spilling your guts?" shouted the thug.

"You gonna clock me across the face with that pipe?" asked Marc.

The thug looked at him. Then he did just that. Blood flew from Marc's nose where he was hit.

"It was a rhetorical question, wise guy!" shouted the thug.

Nichole couldn't keep quiet any more.

"Big brother!" she screamed.

Everyone froze, including Marc. The Lord released Marc.

"What's this?" said the Lord. "A little mouse?"

"NICHOLE!" screamed Marc. "Run for…"

Before Marc could finish, a wrench flew from out of nowhere, hitting the leader of the Lords in the back of the head.

He was hurt, but not out – yet. Then five other young toughs charged into the room, armed with chains and baseball bats. They were all sporting the colors of the Blue Serpents.

Nichole quickly figured it out. This had been a set-up to lay a trap for three leaders of the Lords of Hell.

Marc was thrown aside, and a fight started, but it was over quickly. The five Blue Serpents made short work of the three members of the rival gang, as Nichole shivered in fear behind the garbage cans.

Finally, one member of the Serpents helped Marc up.

"You okay, bro?" he asked with a chuckle. "Sorry you had to be the bait… Heh…"

Marc ran over to Nichole.

"Nichole…" he said, taking her in his arms. "I'm so sorry you had to see that… Please… Next time I tell you to stay home, stay home!"

"Hey, cut your little sis some slack, Marc," said another member of the Serpents. "She's gonna have to learn how this works eventually."

Marc sighed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nichole made a draw. Then she looked at the three cards in her hand: The Warrior Returning Alive, Staunch Defender, and Amazoness Willpower.

_I can get Sage back from the Graveyard, _she thought. _Then I could use Willpower next turn to summon Tiger back with a full 3,100 Attack Points!_

_Trouble is, he'd just change her to Defense Mode again…_

She looked at her three Monsters.

_With that Earthshaker's effect, it won't matter what mode my Monsters are in, but if he summons another one…_

She turned two cards on her Disk, and Chain Master and Paladin knelt in Defense Mode. (1,300 DEF) (300 DEF) Then she set a card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

Giese made a draw.

He looked at the card. The Spell Card, Dark Auction.

_Lessee here, _he thought.

He looked at the captive Swords Woman and Trainee.

_If I used this, I could deal damage to her equal to the Attack Score of one of those dames… The downside is, I'd have to let her go to do it. That may not be the best idea…_

He picked another card from his hand.

"Alright…" he said. "I'm playing Card Destruction. I'm sure I don't have to explain this one."

The Spell Card appeared, and he discarded three cards while Nichole discarded two. Nichole's eyes narrowed as she watched Giese discard his.

_That Spell Card he just got rid of… _she thought. _Could it be?_

She made two draws, while her opponent made three.

"Much better!" laughed Giese. "First off, I'm gettin' rid of this Field Spell. I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He held up the card, and a tornado of energy tore through the field. Amazoness Village was torn apart, and the dark nightclub returned.

"Next," he said, as he played another Spell Card, "Shield Crush!"

A bolt of energy shot at Chain Master, blowing her to shards.

"Now I play… The Equip Spell, Mage Power!"

He played the card, and Garnecia Earthshaker glowed with unholy energy.

"Thanks to this card, your two Amazons, and the Wings of Decarabia, my Monster gains 2,000 more Attack Points."

(4,200 ATK)

"Okay… Garnecia Earthshaker, attack Paladin!"

The huge Beast trumpeted, and its Attack Score rose to 5,200. It charged forward…

"Go, Staunch Defender!" shouted Nichole, as her facedown card shot up. "Fighter, defend Paladin!"

Fighter rushed into the path of the charging beast, and was crushed by it.

"And due to Fighter's effect, I take no damage at all," she said, wiping her brow.

"Lucky," chuckled Giese.

"Go to Hell…" groaned Nichole.

"Go to Hell?" asked Giese. "Oh, I've been there. It's not as bad as people say, actually..."

Nichole didn't answer for about half a minute.

Then she looked at Giese with a look that gave even him pause.

"You are going down, you bastard…" she said. "And you're going down _hard._

"It's my move…"

She drew a card.

"I play… Double Spell," she said, as a Spell Card appeared in front of her. "For the cost of one other Spell Card…"

She discarded Scapegoat from her hand.

"…I can use one in your Graveyard."

A Spell Card floated out of Giese's Duel Disk, and then flew to Nichole's hand.

"Oh crap…" said Giese.

Nichole threw the card into her Disk, and Giant Trunade appeared in front of her. Mage Power and the Wings of Decarabia were blown off the field, and then both Swords Woman and Trainee broke free from the nets holding them. They flew back to Nichole, changing into cards in mid-flight, and she quickly caught them.

"At first I was puzzled as to why you had that card..." said Nichole. "But then it hit me... You profess to be an expert on Traps... So naturally, you're wise enough to be afraid of how powerful they are. You use them so much, you dread what would happen if someone sprung a lethal Trap on you. So it makes sense that your deck has some defense against them."

Giese only growled at this. Nichole responded by playing a card, and Swords Woman materialized on the field next to Fighter. She looked at Giese with an expression of pure hate. (1,500 ATK)

"Because I have at least one Amazoness on the field," continued Nichole, "I'm allowed to Special Summon Amazoness Shield Maiden from my hand."

Another Amazon, this one around the age of Trainee, with red hair tied in pigtails, dressed in a bikini top and breechcloth made of leopard skin, appeared next to the other two Amazons. She held a decorated painted wooden shield that was just as tall as she was, and knelt behind it. (1,600 DEF)

"Make your move…"

Giese angrily drew a card.

He quickly played it, and Supremacy Berry appeared in front of him. He glowed with energy.

"I got 2,000 Life Points from that," he said, "and I'm payin' 1,000 of em to use Wings of Decarabia again."

He played it, and the black feathered wings appeared on Garnecia Earthshaker's back again.

"I'm naming Warriors again. And you didn't fool me, Shadowchaser! You summoned Swords Woman to draw attention away from that Shield Maiden! She's more important for some reason!"

Then he played Mage Power again, and it rose to an Attack Score of 3,200.

"And don't forget… When Garnecia attacks her, it can switch her to Attack Mode…"

Garnecia Earthshaker charged at Shield Maiden, its Attack Score rising to 4,200. Shield Maiden stood up… (1,000 ATK)

Garnecia tried to crush Shield Maiden with its fist, but she blocked with her shield. The shield was blown to pieces, but Shield Maiden was still standing.

"Huh?" said Giese.

"Shield Maiden can survive one battle per turn," said Nichole.

"Yeah, well…" said Giese, with a grin. "You still take damage."

However, Nichole only glared at him coldly as the shock cuffs reacted.

**(N: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 4,500)**

Now Giese was unable to hide it. A sense of terror was slowly overcoming him…

"D… Didn't that hurt?" he stammered.

"It was excruciating…" replied Nichole. "But I'm not giving you the satisfaction any more…

"My move…"

She drew a card.

"You were right, by the way… Shield Maiden was more important… She's a Tuner. But because I Special Summoned her using her effect, I wasn't allowed to Synchro Summon during the same turn.

"Here's someone else who's eager to see you…"

Amazoness Trainee appeared with the other Amazons. (1,500 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together Shield Maiden with Amazoness Paladin…"

The two Amazons leapt into the air, and faded into auras of glowing light…

"_Champion of Themyscira with a powerful weapon! Use your celestial powers to bless your enchanted sword with the powers of the Ancients!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Amazoness Hexblade!"_

Landing on the field was a powerful and very different-looking female Warrior. She was, unlike her fellow Amazons, wearing actual armor that seemed to be in the style of the Bronze Age; primitive, but not as much so as the tribal garb of the others. Most remarkably, she held a longsword decorated with runes with a hilt encrusted with gems. She had flowing red hair down to her waist. (2,400 ATK)

"Oh, I'm so scared," said Giese, trying to sound more confident than he was. "Did you forget? Not only is my Monster stronger, it gains 1,000 Attack Points when it battles a Warrior Monster. Red Sonja over there still can't beat it."

"Want to know what her effect is?" asked Nichole.

Amazoness Hexblade ran her hand along the length of her sword, and magical sigils encircled the blade.

"Her effect is the effect of any Monster on the field that I choose. And I choose your Garnecia Earthshaker!"

"But that means…" said Giese, turning pale.

"That's right," said Nichole. "She can switch it to Defense Mode when she attacks. Earthshaker gains 1,000 Defense Points from Mage Power, but none from the Wings of Decarabia.

"But before Hexblade does anything…

"Swords Woman… You attack it."

Swords Woman rushed at the huge pachyderm.

"And because the damage from this battle is taken by you, that Equip Spell is going to be a liability!"

Garnecia Earthshaker's Attack Score rose to 4,200. It threw a punch, smashing Swords Woman into pixels.

But not her sword. It was sent spinning towards Giese, and he shouted in pain when it hit him. Then he screamed even louder when the devices shocked him.

"Amazoness Hexblade," ordered Nichole, "take down that oversized lummox!"

Hexblade rushed at the huge Beast, and true to what she said, it knelt and shielded itself in Defense Mode. (1,800 DEF) Hexblade's sword fell, and the huge Monster exploded in a mighty blast.

Then Giese screamed again as the devices started to flash.

"Hexblade got _all _of its effects," said Nichole. "Trampling effect included.

"Trainee… Finish him off!"

Amazoness Trainee rushed at Giese, twirling her grapple above her head. She made a leap, and threw it downward. The Spirit Hunter made one final scream as the shock cuffs started to sizzle and smoke…

**(N: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 0)**

He fell flat on his back.

Nichole felt herself. She had won, and by a comfortable margin. It had been more painful than it had been hard.

She walked up to him.

The look frozen on his face wasn't pain… It was fear. Incredible horror. And she knew that she wasn't _that _intimidating.

He was dead… Again, it seemed… But the shock cuffs weren't what killed him…

Her train of thought was broken as she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Mike was making a run for the back door.

She grabbed the Marvelous Rod of Bigby off her belt, pointed it at him, and touched three sigils. Before he made it to the door, a Bigby's Grasping Hand grabbed him.

Nichole knelt down beside Giese's body and lifted something off of his neck.

It was another of those weird pendants…

She shivered.

_Divine magic that can raise the dead… _she thought. _Not even __Donny Lewison can do that… No living follower of St. Cuthbert can…_

_Who the devil are we up against?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LURE PHANTOM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **When an opposing Monster attacks when you control this face-up card, you can return this card and the attacking Monster to their owners' hands.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HELL GUNDOG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 500

**Card Description: **When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, your opponent discards 1 card at random from his hand. When this card is destroyed, you may Special Summon 1 "Hell Gundog" from your hand or deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HUNTING NET (Trap Card)**

**Counter Trap**

**Image: **A net being propelled forward by rockets.

**Card Description: **Activate when an opponent's Monster would be returned to his hand. Place that Monster in your Spell/Trap Zone instead as a Continuous Spell Card, and put 1 "Prey Counter" on it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DECOY BABY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A group of ducks gathered around a duck decoy.

**Card Description: **Select 1 opposing Monster that is the same Type as a Monster in your Spell/Trap Zone with a "Prey Counter". Place the selected Monster in your Spell/Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell Card, and put 1 "Prey Counter" on it.

_Note: The preceding four cards were first used by Giese in the two-part "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Trapper Keeper". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLASTING VEIN (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A Duel Monsters card in the middle of a fire.

**Card Description: **Destroy 1 facedown Spell or Trap Card you control. Draw 2 cards.

_Note: "Blasting Vein" was first used by O'Brien in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Hanging With Axel (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AMAZONESS SHIELD MAIDEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description: **If you control at least 1 "Amazoness" Monster, except an "Amazoness Shield Maiden", you may Special Summon this card from your hand. You may not Synchro Summon on the turn this card is Special Summoned by this effect. Once per turn, this card is not destroyed by battle.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AMAZONESS HEXBLADE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "Amazoness" Monsters_

When this card is Synchro Summoned, select 1 other face-up Effect Monster on the field. This card gains the effect(s) of the selected Monster for as long as this card is face-up on the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GARNECIA EARTHSHAKER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more Beast-Type non-Tuner Monsters_

When this card attacks a face-up Monster, you may switch the attack target's Battle Position. During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – WINGS OF ****DECARABIA**** (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A ferocious Thunder Unicorn with large, feathered wings, galloping through raging flames.

**Card Description: **Equip only to a Beast, Beast-Warrior or Winged Beast-Type Monster that is Level 5 or higher. Pay 1,000 Life Points to Equip this card. When this card is activated, select one Type of Monster. The Equipped Monster gains 1,000 Attack Points when battling the selected Type. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Dugan: Whoever Ben is, he seems to have an enemy out there who wants him dead. Very few Shadows in history have ever had the guts to invade the headquarters of a team of Shadowchasers… I'm face to face with one who has, but he seems gutless… And he also lacks a heart, lungs, or any other interior organs. Still, he seems dead set on getting past me to get to Ben.**_

_**I can't allow that… I have to defeat him at all costs…**_

"_**The Professional; An Unlikely Assassin" is coming soon.**_


	12. The Professional An Unlikely Assassin

_First a message._

_I have been getting many e-mails lately with no subject headers. If these are from readers who expect a response, I should let you know, I don't read e-mails like this. I delete them immediately. In this time with viruses such a threat, I can't take the risk. _

_If you want to e-mail me, put a subject on your e-mail._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL TWELVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Professional**

**An Unlikely Assassin**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As Nichole was doing this, Dugan was filling out paperwork on the living room table while Ben was helping by stapling together finished documents. Bartholomew was carefully cleaning the computer while carrying on a conversation with the two Guinea pigs. (Being able to talk to and understand rodents and other small mammals, like rabbits, was one of many talents that brownies had.)

"No, Elizabeth, it's like this," said Bartholomew. "The people elect the electors, and then the electors elect the President."

Elizabeth gave a confused squeak.

"Well, see…" replied Bartholomew. "It sounded like a good idea at the time…"

Ben looked at Dugan's Duel Disk, which was on the table beside him.

"So Dugan…" he asked. "Why Scraps, exactly?"

"Well, they kind of remind me of being in the service," replied Dugan. "Scraps are team players, not unlike the Marines… Whenever they take a hit, it's for the benefit of another member of the team…

"And like a Marine, Scraps are hard to get rid of. You knock them down, but they just get back up later."

"You really got a lot out of the Marines, huh?" asked Ben. "Did you like it there?"

"Oh yeah…" said Dugan. "Having a guy like me was a big morale boost sometimes."

"I don't follow…" said Ben.

Dugan pointed to his bald head.

"Every time a new recruit was bummed out about getting a G.I. haircut," he said, "all I had to do was say, 'don't worry, son, _yours _will grow back', and it cheered him right up."

"Heh, heh…" chuckled Ben. "So why did you retire? You could have stayed on… Maybe made Lieutenant Colonel…"

Dugan smirked.

"I tried that…" he said. "I took the test the last year of my second hitch, in fact… I guess becoming a Shadowchaser is easier than becoming one of the very high ranks in the United States Armed Forces…

"As for why I retired… It was time to move on… I figured I could do far more good outside the Marines at that point than I could in it…"

"You mean in the Shadowchasers?" asked Ben.

Dugan was about to answer, but then the doorbell rang.

"Now who could that be?" he asked, as he got up.

He looked through the viewing hole.

"Eh, it's just the mailman, folks…"

Dugan unlocked the door and opened it.

"Package, Major," said the letter carrier. "Seems important…"

Dugan looked at the very large parcel, which measured four feet to each side. He shrugged, and signed the form.

"G'day," said the mailman, as Dugan pushed the package inside.

"Who's it from?" asked Bartholomew.

"No return address…" said Dugan, looking at it.

"Maybe we should read the note," said Ben, suspiciously.

"Don't worry," said Dugan, "we have something that can test it for explosives and powders, and then we can…"

Then the box started to shake.

"Back off, people!" shouted Dugan, as it started to shake and rattle even more.

He ran to the table and grabbed his blunderbuss, then pointed it at the package as an arm ripped out…

…an arm consisting of bare arm and finger bones. No flesh at all.

Dugan's finger tensed on the trigger as the rest of the creature emerged. It was a human skeleton, dressed in a pair of jeans held up by a pair of suspenders.

"A guy could get claustrophobia in there!" laughed the skeleton, as it stepped out of the box.

Dugan fired the weapon, but the blast merely glanced off the thing's ribcage.

"Why didn't it work?" asked Ben.

"Stupid of me…" muttered Dugan. "This gun is supposed to incapacitate creatures by paralyzing the nervous system… Not very good against something that doesn't _have _a nervous system."

He put it down and looked at the skeleton.

"Who are you?" he asked, sounding rather annoyed.

"Dey call me..." said the creature, "Jeremy Skull!"

"That diet must have been murder, huh fellah?" said Bartholomew, nervously.

"A regular comedian!" laughed the skeleton. "Now den, Major, I got no bone to pick wit you... You just hand over pointy-ears over there, an' there'll be no trouble."

"Over my dead body!" shouted Dugan.

The skeleton chuckled as he walked up to the former Marine.

"Ya think I can't arrange that?" he asked. "Look at me, Major... I'm a skeleton! How can you possibly hurt me? I've got nothin' that you can hurt!"

To respond, Dugan slugged him in the face. The skeleton's skull was knocked clear off his shoulders.

Dugan was surprised, however, when it kept talking.

"Not gonna do it, Major," it said.

The skeleton's body simply walked over to the skull, and picked it up, and then placed it back where it belonged.

"Gonna have to teach you some manners…"

Then the skeleton's eyes glowed red, and it made a rush for Dugan…

But Dugan was more prepared than the assassin thought. He caught the creature's bony wrists; he was knocked on his seat, but he kept the sharp claws from reaching his face. Jeremy started to struggle, but then started to lose the steam he had garnered up for the rush.

"You've got to learn to take nothing for granted, my scrawny friend," said Dugan, "or else everyone in this world, be them living or dead, will walk right over you!"

He punctuated the sentence by giving Jeremy a kick in the sternum, knocking him clear across the room. The assassin landed on his behind.

"Okay, Major…" he said. "I can tell you're gonna be a real pain in the coccyx…"

He got up, and then walked over to the open box.

"But… I'm gonna keep gettin' up no matter how many times you knock me down… An' seein' how you're gonna keep doin' that every time I try to get what I want…"

As Dugan got up, the skeleton took a Duel Disk out of the box.

"So den, we'll handle this your way…" he said. "After all, I am a professional…"

"A duel then?" asked Dugan.

He picked up his Duel Disk.

"Ben, Bartholomew, stay behind me," he said. "I still don't trust this guy…"

Hi strapped his disk to his arm and activated it.

"All right, Jeremy, you're on," he said, "but don't expect me to be a pushover…"

"I wouldn't expect it from me either," chuckled Jeremy, as his Disk activated. "Ask anyone who's dealt with Jeremy Skull… And he'll tell you that he's bad to da bone!"

_I don't know what's worse, _thought Ben. _The fact that he wants to kill us, or his bad jokes…_

"So what do you suppose he is?" he asked Bartholomew. "I thought that undead skeletons were just mindless drones, walking cannon fodder used in the armies of evil wizards."

"_Most_ of them are," replied Bartholomew. "There have been confirmed reports that when corpses are animated in unhallowed, desecrated, or otherwise unholy areas using the right type of dark necromancy, they can acquire evil spirits, and become moderately intelligent…

"Of course, even the ones mentioned in those reports tended to be dimwitted and simple-minded. This one… He seems way too smart to have ever been created by a simple spell of necromantic animation… Something far darker is behind this."

**(Dugan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Jeremy: 8,000)**

"I'm drawing here!" laughed Jeremy, as he made his sixth draw.

"I'm throwing out The 13th Grave!"

In a dark aura, a skeleton, not unlike Jeremy, materialized, dressed in a rotting shroud, and holding a rust-covered sword. (1,200 ATK)

"Then I'll set this, for later…"

He fit a card into his Disk, and a set card appeared behind The 13th Grave.

_What in blazes? _thought Ben. _Why would anyone use a card like that?_

_This has got to be a trick, but… It seems kinda obvious…_

Dugan slowly made his first draw.

"I'll set a Monster in Defense Mode," he said, as a set Monster appeared, "and that will be all."

Jeremy chuckled as he drew a card.

"I never took you for the spineless type, Major!" he laughed.

The 13th Grave crouched, and held its sword in its lap. (900 DEF)

"That's all for me."

Dugan was clearly angry. He glared at Jeremy as he made his draw.

"I'll show you spineless…" he said.

Giant Rat appeared in front of him. (1,400 ATK)

"Attack!" he shouted. "Destroy The 13th Grave!"

The huge rodent scurried forward, snapping its jaws. The 13th Grave burst into a mess of bones that faded away.

"HA!" laughed Bartholomew. "He was bluffing!"

"Oh, was I?" asked Jeremy.

Dugan looked at him.

"Uh… I end my turn…" he said.

Jeremy made a draw. It was hard to tell his expression, as his face had no flesh, but Dugan could swear that there was more of a smile to his jawbone now…

"Here's why I used The 13th Grave," said the assassin, as he played a Spell Card. "It's called Skeleton Dance. I can now Special Summon a Normal Zombie-Type Monster from my deck, so long as I remove one that's a higher Level in my Graveyard from play."

He held up the 13th Grave.

"So, I'll get rid of this Level 3 Normal Zombie…"

The card vanished in a dark shadow.

"…and Special Summon my Level 1 Skull Servant."

The floor burst open, and a bony hand reached up. Another skeleton, this one unarmed and wearing a blue robe, crawled out of the ground. (300 ATK)

Jeremy's facedown card lifted up.

"Why stop at just one?" he asked. "I activate The League of Uniform Nomenclature, to Special Summon two more Skull Servants!"

With two more moans, two more of the skeletal ghosts crawled out of the ground. (300 ATK x3)

"Not good…" said Ben. "I've heard that Skull Servants can be deceptively dangerous if one knows how to use them…"

"Oh, I know how to use them, all right!" laughed Jeremy. "Take a gander at this Spell Card!"

"Triangle Power?" asked Dugan, as the Spell Card appeared.

A triangle of energy formed around the three Zombies.

"It gives each of my Level 1 Normal Monsters 2,000 more points!" laughed Jeremy.

(2,300 x3)

"Skull Servant number one, deal with his little fraidy-cat first."

The first Skull Servant formed a glob of pure darkness in its hands, and hurled it at the set Monster. A small bird with metallic feathers and flashlights strapped to its head, shoulders, and tail appeared on the card and was smashed to fragments.

_So much for Scrap Searcher… _thought Dugan.

The second Skull Servant aimed its attack at Giant Rat. Dugan braced himself as it was consumed by the dark blight.

"I Special Summon another Giant Rat!" shouted Dugan.

A second Giant Rat appeared. (1,400 ATK) Then the third Skull Servant attacked just as the others had, eradicating it.

"I use that Giant Rat's effect to Special Summon Scrap Goblin!" exclaimed Dugan.

Scrap Goblin appeared in front of him, glaring at Jeremy through its goggles. (0 ATK)

"You do realize," said Dugan, "when you end your turn, Triangle Power's side effect will destroy your Skull Servants?"

"Good point," said Jeremy.

He played another Spell Card.

"I play Thunder Crash! I'll use this to destroy them myself before that happens, and deal out 300 points of damage for each one!"

The three Skull Servants burst into shards, and another bolt of dark energy shot towards Dugan's side of the field, this time hitting him.

"I'll set a Monster," said Jeremy, as a reversed Monster appeared, "and I end my turn."

_Finally… _thought Dugan.

**(D: 5,300) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 8,000)**

"My move!" he shouted, drawing a card.

"I move Scrap Goblin to Defense Mode…"

The Goblin knelt, and shielded itself with its arms. (500 DEF)

"…and summon Scrap Hunter!"

The drill-wielding robot appeared with its weapon spinning. (1,600 ATK)

"Attack his Monster!" shouted Dugan.

Scrap Hunter rolled forward on its treads, drill first…

…but it was halted by the Monster that appeared on the card. It was another skeleton, wearing a white fright wig and an old black dress. (2,200 DEF)

"Seems your hunter just ran smack into The Lady in Wight," chuckled Jeremy.

Dugan sighed.

"I'll set this, and end my turn…" he said, as a facedown card appeared behind Scrap Hunter.

**(D: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 8,000)**

"My move…" said Jeremy, drawing a card. "And now it's time to get down to the bare bones of the problem…

"I summon King of the Skull Servants!"

There was a cloud of foul, black smoke, and yet another skeleton appeared, this one looking similar to Skull Servant, but taller and more menacing.

"King of the Skull Servant has 1,000 Attack Points for every Skull Servant and additional King in my Graveyard," explained Jeremy.

(3,000 ATK)

"And before you try to get rid of him, let me explain my Lady in Wight's effect. So long as she's around, all Level 3 or lower Zombies except herself can't be destroyed by battle and are immune to Spells and Traps."

"And that King is only Level 1!" exclaimed Ben.

"And I'm gonna make it even harder," continued Jeremy, holding up another Spell Card.

He fit it into his Disk, and a golden aura surrounded The Lady in Wight.

"It's an Equip Card called Devoted Defender. So long as she stays in Defense Mode, this renders all Monsters of her Type of the same Level or lower, except herself, immune to the effects of Effect Monsters."

"Wait…" said Bartholomew. "Combined with The Lady in White's own effect…"

"It makes the King pretty much immortal," said Ben, nervously.

"Now, let's battle!" laughed Jeremy. "King of the Skull Servants, destroy Scrap Hunter!"

King of the Skull Servants reached out with its hand, and a skull surrounded by an aura of black flames appeared on it. It hurled the skull at Scrap Hunter, and the Machine exploded.

"Ergh… Ugh…" said Dugan, shielding himself from the debris.

"I activate the effect of Scrap Searcher!" he exclaimed. "When it's in my Graveyard when a Scrap Monster is destroyed, I get to Special Summon it to the field."

Scrap Searcher appeared on his side of the field, and folded its wings in Defense Mode. (300 DEF)

"In that case," chuckled Jeremy, "I end my turn."

**(D: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 8,000)**

"Face it, Major, you're completely outmatched. You may be the senior member of your team, but there's so much about the world of Shadow that you just don't know about!"

_You're wrong…_ thought Dugan. _The whole problem with me was, I always knew too much…_

_So much good I could have done even before joining this group… But I only did the bare essentials…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was six months before the fateful day when Dugan would confront the Flying Dutchman. His unit had been given a pass for the evening, and in the city of Santiago, there were a lot of good times to be had for a Marine with the evening off.

A sergeant in Dugan's unit was in a small café, hitting on a young beauty he had met just half an hour ago. She seemed like the typical Latino sweetheart, and was quite willing to laugh at anything he said.

"So, Juanita…" he said. "What say we find a private place where the two of us can…"

"AHEM!" said a voice.

He turned around, and saw Dugan at the door, casually motioning for him to come over.

"Give me a minute, princess," he said, "I won't be long…"

He got up, and walked up to Dugan, clearly upset.

"Begging the Major's pardon," he said, "but I'm on leave for five more hours, and I'm not breaking any rules. She wasn't asking for money. So what's the problem?"

"I realize that, Charlie," said Dugan, his voice sinking to a whisper, "but I saw you come in here with that woman, and I wanted to warn you… Stay away from her if you know what's good for her. She's not a prostitute… She's worse."

Charlie looked back at the young lady, who was still smiling at him.

"Worse?" asked Charlie.

"She's a black widow," replied Dugan, "and she specializes in making money by getting G.I.s like you to hit on her.

"Here's how it works. You two will go somewhere, you'll go all the way… Then once you're out cold, which will happen, I assure you, she'll go out to where an accomplice is waiting – maybe her boyfriend or husband. He'll punch her in the face until she's noticeably bruised. Then she'll go tell the MPs that she was raped, saying you did it."

Charlie's eyes opened wide. He looked back at the girl, who was still smiling.

"And then she'll bring a lawsuit against both you and the CO," continued Dugan. "She and that accomplice will win a settlement and be living large, while you're in the stockade."

"Are you… serious?" asked Charlie.

"Have I ever lied to you, Charlie?" asked Dugan.

Charlie took some deep breaths.

"Thanks for the warning…" he said.

"From now on, Charlie," said Dugan, "do what your mom told you to do… Don't talk to strangers."

Dugan watched as Charlie left.

Actually, he _had _lied. Charlie's fate would have been far _worse _than what he had described had he fallen for that temptress's charms.

Before Dugan left, he looked back inside the café. She had already found a new victim. Charlie couldn't see the bat-like wings on her back, the demonic horns on her forehead, the incredibly dark eyebrows, or the fact that her eyes glowed like hot coals, but Dugan could see all that.

He shook his head as she started her routine on the new victim.

He wasn't a soldier… He was just a local drunk. It was none of his business now. He turned and left.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Okay, Mr., uhm, Skull," said Dugan, "if I don't know everything about the world of Shadow, it's not for lack of wanting to know.

"So spill it… Just where did you come from?"

Jeremy chuckled.

"If you must know," said the skeleton, "You're looking at the last survivor of Bontallo's Cursed Army."

"Who?" said Ben.

"I've heard of that…" said Bartholomew, ominously. "Four-hundred years ago, Bontallo was the most powerful Deathpriest of Orcus, and some say the cruelest as well. He was a prisoner at a penal colony in Newfoundland, but broke free and took it over.

"With his divine powers restored, he forced the former staff and the other prisoners to start building a great temple to Orcus's greatness, and worked them until they collapsed from exhaustion. Then he animated their bodies as undead so he could still use them as labor.

"Eventually, however, this dark activity was discovered by the Templars of Heironeous. They stormed the place, and Bontallo turned the undead laborers into the Cursed Army to act as defenders, which may have been his goal all along. Fighting these undead soldiers seemed pointless, because no matter how many times they were struck down, they'd just get back up. The usual methods of killing zombies and skeletons didn't seem to work.

"But eventually, some of the Templars broke through this defense and confronted Bontallo directly. To make a long story short, he was defeated, slain, and the Cursed Army crumbled into dust."

"So how did you survive?" asked Dugan. "And what made you so intelligent?"

"Not sure on both counts," replied Jeremy. "Although, I've always suspected that the two are connected somehow. At any rate, I don't know anything about my life before I became undead… I seem to have forgotten all that sometime before the Templars stormed the place. Maybe it's because my brain got turned to mush, literally.

"Of course, being a skeleton was never pretty, but it does have its upsides… I don't eat, I don't sleep, and I rarely ever need new clothes… But still, I have _some _expenses. Which led to the obvious problem: There are never many jobs available for a guy like me. That's why I became a professional."

"Yeah, a professional assassin," said Dugan, with a frown. "Well, it's not gonna happen here…"

He drew a card.

"I believe it's my move…"

His facedown card lifted up.

"My Call of the Haunted brings Scrap Hunter back from the Graveyard."

An orb of light appeared in front of him, and then it burst into Scrap Hunter. (1,600 ATK)

"Next, I sacrifice Scrap Searcher…"

The small Winged Beast dissolved into granules of light.

"…for Scrap Soldier!"

Scrap Soldier stood up with its one optic sensor flashing red. (2,100 ATK)

"Now, I Tune my two Monsters together…"

Scrap Hunter dissolved into three stars, while Scrap Soldier faded into five.

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

(*5 + *3 = *8)

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

(2,800 ATK)

"I ain't afraid of your Dragon!" laughed Jeremy. "You forgot about my Lady in Wight's Devoted Defender Equip Spell! So long as she has that, your Dragon can't touch my King!"

"No, but it can use its effect to destroy The Lady in Wight," said Dugan, closing his eyes with a slight smirk.

"Eh?" said Jeremy.

Dugan's now-inert Call of the Haunted shattered, and Scrap Dragon breathed a bolt of green flames, blowing the skeletal noblewoman to shards.

"Nice move… bonehead!" laughed Jeremy. "My King can be destroyed by battle now, but let me clue ya in… The Lady in Wight counts as a Skull Servant while in my Graveyard, so by icing her, ya made my King even stronger!"

(4,000 ATK)

"Then I'll make my Dragon stronger as well," said Dugan.

He quickly played a Spell Card.

"With the Battle-Tuned Spell Card, I can remove a Tuner in my Graveyard from play, and add its Attack Score to a Monster on the field."

He pocketed the Scrap Soldier card, and a green glow covered Scrap Dragon. (4,900 ATK)

"Destroy King of the Skull Servants!" ordered Dugan. "Toxic blaze!"

Scrap Dragon exhaled its vile breath weapon again, and the skeletal Zombie was blown into a pile of bones that scattered all over the floor around Jeremy.

"What a revoltin' development this is…" muttered Jeremy.

**(D: 3,300) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,100)**

"All right, he did it!" cheered Bartholomew.

Then the bones floated off the floor. They started to piece together.

"Uh… Maybe not…" said the brownie.

With a flash of light, King of the Skull Servants was whole again, and its robe reappeared. (3,000 ATK)

"Whenever my King bites the dust in battle," said Jeremy, "I can remove one of his loyal subjects in my Graveyard from play to instantly bring him back to the field."

"That's not good…" said Bartholomew.

"Well, it's not… bad…" said Ben.

"Eh?" said Bartholomew.

"The King needs those Skull Servants in the Graveyard to keep a high Attack Score," said Ben. "Each time Jeremy removes one from play to revive it, it will get weaker."

_In theory, at least, _thought Dugan. _This guy isn't the most articulate opponent I've ever faced, but he's not dumb. _

He nodded.

Jeremy drew a card.

"Heh, heh…" he chuckled. "I'm sending Wightmare from my hand to the Graveyard!

"Heh… 'Wightmare'… Dontcha you just love these crazy puns?"

He discarded the card.

"But seriously, by doing that, I get to put the Skull Servant I removed from play back there."

"Great elephants, that means his King will be just as strong as it was before!" gasped Bartholomew.

"Nope, it'll be stronger," replied Jeremy. "Wightmare is also considered a Skull Servant while in the Graveyard."

(5,000 ATK)

"Next I play… Skull Fortune!" he laughed, as a new Spell Card appeared. "I get to draw once for each Skull Servant that I've buried so far!

"And due to the effects of The Lady in Wight and Wightmare, I've got five Skull Servants in my Graveyard!"

"Five draws?" said Bartholomew. "I don't believe it!"

"Believe it…" said Jeremy, as he drew five cards. "It's all a matter of when to use it.

"Now then… Your majesty… Make that Scrap Dragon go boom!"

Another burning skull formed on the King's hand.

Dugan braced himself as Scrap Dragon burst into an explosion of debris.

**(D: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,100)**

"I get to activate the effects of both Scrap Dragon and Scrap Searcher," he said.

Scrap Goblin appeared first (500 DEF) followed by Scrap Searcher. (300 DEF)

"So you do…" said Jeremy. "Your move…"

Dugan drew.

"Eh… pass…" he said.

Jeremy simply made another draw.

He pointed, and King of the Skull Servants hurled its skull at Scrap Goblin, and it exploded against its metal hide.

Jeremy waved his hand, and Scrap Goblin shattered into shards.

"I use Scrap Goblin's effect…" said Dugan.

Scrap Hunter slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

Jeremy took two cards from his hand.

"I set a facedown, and then summon Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower," he said.

A reversed card appeared, and then a monolith made out of skulls and bones, not all of them human, glowing with unholy energy, rose out of the floor. (400 ATK)

"It may be pretty weak," he said, "but you can't attack it so long as I have at least one other Zombie on the field.

"And my turn is over."

Dugan looked at the two Zombies. Then he drew a card.

"All right, Jeremy," he said, as he fit one into his Disk, "I play the Equip Spell, D.D.R. – Different Dimension Reincarnation. By tossing one card from my hand, I get to Special Summon a Monster that's been removed from play, so long as I boost it with this card."

He discarded Scrap Hunter, and a glowing portal appeared. Scrap Soldier emerged from it. (2,100 ATK)

"Then, I summon Scrap Chimera!"

He played another card, and the large mythological being made out of plywood and cast iron leapt onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"By doing that, I get to bring Scrap Goblin back again!"

Scrap Goblin appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (500 DEF)

"All right, Scrap Soldier, Tune yourself with Scrap Chimera!"

The two Scraps leapt towards the ceiling, and dissolved into a cluster of stars.

"_Mighty engines rebuilt out of refuse and recycled material, form a being that can rule as king over the junkyard that spawned it!"_

**(*5 + *4 = *9)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Twin Dragon!"_

(3,000 ATK)

"All right!" cheered Bartholomew.

"Now I use Scrap Twin Dragon's effect," continued Dugan, "to destroy my Scrap Goblin, and blow King of the Skull Servants and your Trap Card off the field!"

"I think I'd rather use my Trap Card…" chuckled Jeremy.

His Counter Trap shot up.

"Divine Wrath?" gasped Dugan.

"You got it!" laughed Jeremy, as he discarded a copy of Graceful Revival from his hand. "After all, I'm a professional…"

Lightning flashed, and Scrap Twin Dragon was blown to pieces.

"No…" gasped Ben. "He took out Dugan's best Monster…"

"But I still get to use its effect," said Dugan, now sounding pissed. "Because it was destroyed, I get to Special Summon Scrap Chimera back to the field in Defense Mode."

Scrap Chimera appeared, sitting on its haunches. (500 DEF)

"My turn isn't over either," he continued. "I play… Pot of Avarice."

He played the Spell Card, and then took Scrap Dragon, Scrap Twin Dragon, both Giant Rats, and Scrap Beast from his discard slot. He added them to his deck, and the Disk reshuffled his deck. Then he made two draws.

He quickly threw two cards into his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared behind the three Scraps.

He nodded.

"My move!" laughed Jeremy, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

"Well, what do you know?" he said. "This here is a _very _rare card… It's only been given out to winners of big tournaments so far…

"There's a story behind it, too… Folks say that Pegasus designed it personally after he saw Yukai Judai duel for the first time."

"So play it already!" said Dugan, more annoyed than ever.

Jeremy played the card, and it appeared that the story was true. The Monster on the card did appear to be one of those Neo-Spacian creatures that Yukai used.

"It's called Signal Check," he explained. "It's kinda iffy, but very useful against certain decks. Now listen up. First, you pick up cards from your deck until you get a Monster."

Dugan shrugged. He picked up one card. It was Monster Reincarnation. A second… It was Scrap Crash. Third… Scrap Shark. That one was a Monster.

"Got one?" asked Jeremy. "Good. Now then… I've gotta try to guess what Attribute it is. I guess wrong, you get to keep the cards you picked up. I guess right, you send them back to your deck, and I get to draw three times."

"Oh brother…" said Ben. "Why do I have a feeling that Dugan's deck is one of those 'certain decks'?"

"I believe…" said Jeremy, with a grin, "that it's an Earth Monster."

"Congratulations…" said Dugan, sarcastically, turning it forward.

He fit the three cards back into his deck, and hit the auto-shuffler.

"Now, now, don't be a sore loser…" said Jeremy.

He made three draws.

"At least wait until I pound you some more! I'm sending Skull Conductor here from my hand to the Graveyard!"

As he played the card, the phantom of a skeleton dressed like a train conductor, holding an orchestra conductor's baton appeared behind him. It waved the baton, and ghostly spirits started floating around it and Jeremy.

"See, by doin' that, I get to Special Summon two Zombies from my hand, so long as their Attack Scores add up to exactly 2,000. So… Meet my two Burning Skull Heads!"

Two skulls, burning with fire appeared next to King of the Skull Servants. (1,000 ATK x2)

"Since I Special Summoned two Zombies, my Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower can do its thing."

Dugan frowned as two cards flew off his deck, and vanished.

"And these two flaming noggins have an effect of their own…"

A wave of flames spouted from the two Burning Skull Heads. Dugan braced himself as the heat scorched him.

**(D: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,100)**

"I'm just gettin' warmed up, if ya get my drift," chuckled Jeremy. "I'll trade in my two Burning Skull Heads…"

The two fiery skulls turned into a large globe of light.

"…for the infernal Skull Flame!"

The orb exploded into a burst of fire, and another skeletal Zombie, this one dressed in a long robe and cape, with a bony chest-plate and shoulder pads and a flaming aura, appeared next to King of the Skull Servants. (2,600 ATK)

"Now, let's clean up!" laughed Jeremy. "Skull Flames, roast that Chimera!"

Skull Flames formed a fireball in its hands…

"I activate… Staunch Defender!" shouted Dugan, as one of his Trap Cards lifted up. "Now, all your attacks this round can only target Scrap Searcher!"

The fireball flew at the small bird, and Dugan braced himself as it was blown into nothing.

_Taka may be a crook, _he thought, _but he had some good ideas about what to put in a deck._

"Hmm…" said Jeremy. "To be safe then… I'll move Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower to Defense Mode…"

It was hard to tell what position the large structure was in to begin with, but now it was defending. (1,500 DEF)

"And since you're done attacking," said Dugan, "my other Trap activates…"

His other facedown card lifted.

"Miracle's Wake! It lets me Special Summon a Monster that was destroyed this turn."

Scrap Searcher appeared again. (200 ATK)

"You wasted Miracle's Wake on that little thing?" laughed Jeremy. "What a numbskull!"

"This could be bad," said Ben.

"How bad?" asked Bartholomew.

"I believe that even if Skull Flames is destroyed, it can be removed from play to summon something even worse.

"And if Dugan _doesn't _destroy it, Jeremy can take a Burning Skull Head from his Graveyard next round and use Skull Flame's effect to Special Summon it.

"And King of the Skull Servants still has to be dealt with… Not to mention that Dugan isn't just losing, he's getting pulped!"

"I end my turn!" laughed Jeremy.

Dugan drew a card.

"Finally!" he said.

"I sacrifice Scrap Searcher…"

Scrap Searcher vanished into an orb of light.

"…for Scrap Golem!"

The clunky, bulky robot appeared on his side of the field, its eyes glowing. (2,300 ATK)

"Now, I'm going to use its effect to Special Summon Scrap Searcher again," he continued.

"Big deal," said Jeremy.

"Actually," said Dugan, "it _is _a big deal. I'm summoning it to _your _side of the field."

Scrap Searcher appeared in front of Jeremy, next to the three Zombies. (100 ATK)

"Why the Hell…" said Jeremy.

Then he realized why. Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower, Skull Flames, and King of the Skull Servants exploded into pixels.

"_That's _why," said Dugan. "When Scrap Searcher is Special Summoned, all Monsters the controller has except other Scraps are wiped out."

"Ergh…" muttered Jeremy. "This isn't over, Major…"

"We'll see about that, wise guy," said Dugan.

Both Scrap Chimera and Scrap goblin leapt up , and dissolved into seven glowing stars.

"_Deep within the junkyard, an ominous portal to the Underworld opens! Soul of a demon, body of debris and cast-iron, rise from the infernal pits below!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Archfiend!"_

There was a loud bellow, and the scrap-metal Fiend appeared, hovering over the field. (2,700 ATK)

"Finally," said Dugan, as he played the last card in his hand, "I Equip my Fiend with Megamorph, and since my Life Points are less than yours, the results are dramatic."

(5,400 ATK)

"Wait a second…" said Jeremy.

The refrigerator that made up Scrap Golem's torso opened, and a volley of missiles shot out, eradicating Scrap Searcher.

"ARGH!" shouted Jeremy.

"I'm ending this now, assassin," said Dugan.

He smirked.

"No bones about it…"

Beams of energy shot from Scrap Archfiend's eyes, striking the skeletal hired gun…

**(D: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 0)**

Dugan looked through the smoke, and saw that Jeremy Skull had gone to pieces, literally. His component bones were lying on the floor, but his skull was still cursing at Dugan.

"Ooh, you're a dead man, Dugan!" it shouted, as the bones started to quiver. "Just as soon as I pull myself together!"

"Bartholomew!" shouted Dugan. "Get my bowling ball."

"Bowling ball?" shouted Jeremy. "What the Hell are you gonna do with that? Just you wait… I'm gonna…"

Bartholomew rushed up to Dugan with a bowling ball held inside a velvet bag. Dugan quickly unzipped it, and set the ball itself aside.

"What?" said Jeremy. "HEY! You'd better not, you hear me! I'm gonna…"

"Shut up," said Dugan.

He grabbed the skull, stuffed it in the bag, and then zipped it closed.

"That should keep him from being a threat until someone at Headquarters manages to set up the right wards to hold him," said Dugan, "and will get him to clam up too… In the meantime…"

He looked at Ben.

"In the meantime, we have problems… Someone clearly wants you dead…

"Someone powerful…"

The three of them looked at each other.

"Uhm…" said Bartholomew. "Couldn't someone ask Jeremy?"

"I don't think he knows…" replied Dugan. "He said he was a professional… You don't hire big-time assassins unless you do it through intermediaries.

"This whole puzzle is getting more complicated with each piece we add…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SKELETON DANCE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Five skeletons, one playing a bass guitar, one playing drums, one playing keyboards, and two dancing to the music.

**Card Description: **Remove from play 1 Normal Zombie-Type Monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon a Normal Zombie-Type Monster from your hand or deck that is a lower Level than the removed Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SIGNAL CHECK (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Neo-Spacian Glow Moss holding up its hands, while four orbs, red, blue, green, and brown, float between them.

**Card Description: **Your opponent picks up cards from his deck until he picks up a Monster Card. Guess what Attribute you believe the picked up Monster is. If your guess is incorrect, your opponent adds the picked up cards to his hand. If your guess is correct, your opponent shuffles all the picked up cards back into his deck and you draw 3 cards.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DEVOTED DEFENDER (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A Machiners Sniper aiming its rifle while kneeling behind a Machiners Defender.

**Card Description: **If the Equipped Monster is in Attack Position, destroy this card. All Monsters you control that are the same Type as the Equipped Monster and of the same Level or lower, except for the Equipped Monster, are not affected by the effects of Effect Monsters.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SKULL FORTUNE (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A vault full of gold and jewels with King of the Skull Servants sitting on a throne in the center.

**Card Description: **Draw cards from your deck equal to the number of Monsters named "Skull Servant" in your Graveyard. If this effect would make your hand consist of more than six cards, draw only until your hand consists of six cards.

_Note: "Skull Fortune" was a creation of Metal Overlord 2.0. Used with permission._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Karl: The anarchist bullywug Gripilus and I go back a long time. He seems to cause nothing but trouble ever since the disaster that resulted in him being the sole survivor of his clan, a disaster that he caused. And he always plays dirty. With him doing his best to cause a riot with his anti-government hate speeches, it will be a pleasure to bring him in this time.**_

_**One problem… I have a secret… A dark fear that haunts me…**_

_**And it seems that this secret isn't too secret to someone, because Gripilus is playing as dirty as ever, and using it against me. **_

"_**Dark Machinations; The Chaos Gear" is coming soon.**_


	13. Dark Machinations, The Chaos Gear

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Dark Machinations**

**The Chaos Gear**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Statue of the Republic, which stood in Jackson Park, was one of Chicago's better-known landmarks. A bronze-plated statue of a robed man holding a staff and a bird, wearing a laurel crown, it had been built in 1918 to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the World's Colombian Exposition and Illinois's statehood centennial. It was actually a replica of a much larger statue that had stood at the actual Exposition.

Today, however, a Shadowkind with a dim view of any republic was trying to raise the crowd's ire there with an anti-government speech.

"They call this country the land of the free," said the dirty creature clothed in rags. "But how are we assured freedom? It's only free so long as they say it is, that's the truth of the matter!

"It won't truly be free until we overthrow the farce they call a government, and be allowed to live our lives like true freemen!"

"The greatest threat to our freedom is J.D. Becerra, the fool who runs this country. We won't truly be free until we drag him out into the streets and hang him like the criminal he is!"

"Uh, shouldn't someone call the Secret Service?" asked someone, nervously.

Very few people were even giving the disheveled Shadowkind _that _much attention, especially not those who saw him for what he was. It was hard to describe bullywugs without sounding somewhat biased. Most races were disgusted by them, and even orcs regarded them with contempt. They were, in fact, one of the few races that ophidia refused to eat.

Some folks just described them as a humanoid race that resembled toads, but there was much more to them than that. They were really nature spirits that represented all that was ugly in nature, just like nymphs represented all that was beautiful in it.

A bullywug's appearance gave the impression of mud, grime, and filth. Mundane humans usually perceived them as dirty bums. Bullywug society, if you could call it that, was primitive, and tended to be led by whatever member was strong enough to bully the others into following. Despite being nature spirits, they were destructive and careless, tending to overhunt the swamps where they lived, exhausting the resources of the land and turning it into a dismal echo of what it once was. The fey often hunted them out like farmers killing weeds.

Gripilus was an exceptional bullywug. He had been smart enough and resourceful enough to organize his tribe in Florida into some semblance of order. He owed most of it due to his worship of the same Dark God that Tiberius followed. He didn't know then the true identity of his god, but he did know later.

Back then, people listened to him when he made his fiery speeches. He could incite anger in crowds that needed an excuse to get angry, and his hand had been in many riots that had occurred in both Miami and Orlando.

Unfortunately for him, his head swelled too much, and he thought that his small coalition of bullywugs could conquer and subjugate a local tribe of lizard men. When they tried, Gripilus was the only survivor of the incredibly one-sided fight, mostly because he panicked and abandoned his followers when he realized how vastly outnumbered they were. He no longer had the favor of his deity, and had no choice but to flee and take a menial job at the TRUE Building.

Being given this chance by Tiberius had been too good an offer to turn down.

"All right, Gripilus, that's quite enough!" shouted Karl, as he walked into the square.

The bullywug looked at him, as everyone else made themselves scarce.

"I'll have you know, threatening the President is _not _covered under the First Amendment," said Karl. "You're lucky I got here before someone _did _call the Secret Service."

He frowned at the bullywug.

"Come to think of it," he said, "that speech sounded a little _too_ fiery even for you… If I didn't know better…"

"You'd think I _wanted _you to come?" asked Gripilus.

He pulled a Duel Disk out of his ragged clothing, one that seemed far cleaner than the rest of his belongings.

"I started this ruckus hoping you'd come," he continued. "I wanted a rematch, and I wanted it bad… I owe you for last time…"

"What a coincidence…" said Karl. "I was thinking the same thing…"

He activated his Disk.

"You're on! You're not getting away this time… And I swear, you _will _pay the dry-cleaning bill for the clothes I was wearing when you hit me with the stink bomb last time."

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Gripilus: 8,000)**

Karl drew a card, and looked over his hand.

"I set two cards," he said, as two concealed cards appeared, "one a Monster, one in my Spell Zone.

"Your turn now. Still playing the same deck?"

"Not by a long shot," said Gripilus, making a draw. "I put a special something in this deck that I'm sure you'll like…

"Meet my Cyber Esper!"

There was an aura of flames, and an odd Machine appeared hovering in mid-air in front of Gripilus. Although a robot, it looked gaunt and skeletal, hunched over, with wings that resembled a wasp's. (1,200 ATK)

Karl's hand shivered slightly as he looked at the Monster.

_Who told him? _he thought.

"Attack!" shouted the bullywug.

Cyber Esper launched rings of burning fire at Karl's hidden Monster. Karl covered his head in shock as a well-dressed sorcerer in a blue and orange robe with flowing white hair holding a staff topped with a snowflake appeared on the card. Then the rings hit, and he was incinerated.

"I activate… My Trap Card…" gasped Karl, as his facedown card flipped up. "Miracle's Wake will bring Warlock of the Ice Barrier right back."

The Spellcaster appeared again. (1,000 DEF)

Gripilus chuckled and set a card in _his _Spell Zone.

"What's the matter, Karl?" he asked. "Cyber Esper is hardly the strongest Monster around… You can't be afraid of it, can you?"

Karl bowed his head. He hated to admit it, but he _was_…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Karl couldn't help but be nervous around Fire-Attribute Monsters, or even Monsters that simply used Fire as a weapon. His fear could be traced back to his junior high school chemistry lab.

Being the type of kid he was, Karl loved science. He had memorized the Periodic Table before he was ten. But accidents happen, and one science lab when he was thirteen had gone wrong, and a Bunsen burner had set fire to his lab coat, causing a fire that quickly spread.

Fortunately, his science teacher had grabbed a fire-smothering blanket in time. But while young Karl had escaped physical injury, the psychological ones would last longer. When winter came, he became scared of the crackling fire in his parents' fireplace. When springtime came, the barbecue grills unnerved him. He had developed a fear of fire.

How could one become a Shadowchaser with such an affliction? Karl went to councilors and a psychiatrist, and by the one-year anniversary of the accident, seemed to be over his pyrophobia…

Or so it seemed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move…" said Karl.

He made a draw.

"Hold it," said Gripilus. "My Cyber Esper's effect comes into play whenever you make a draw. I'm allowed to confirm the identity of whatever you draw from your deck."

Karl turned the card forward. It was Reese the Ice Mistress.

"Proceed," said Gripilus.

Karl tapped his Disk, and the Field Slot opened, he quickly fit a card into it.

"I play A Legendary Ocean!" he exclaimed.

As he said so, it seemed that all of Jackson Park was flooded. The Statue of the Republic kept above water, however, even as a glorious undersea city rose behind Karl. Warlock's Defense Score rose to 1,200.

"Now I'm summoning Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier," continued Karl.

The new Ice Barrier Monster that surfaced was an Aqua, but he looked like a Spellcaster as well. He wore a brown toga with a hood and a sash, and held a long wand topped with ice crystals. (1,300 ATK) – (1,500 ATK)

"Let me explain the set-up here, Gripilus," said Karl. "When Warlock is on the field with another Ice Barrier Monster, like he is now, neither player can use Spell Cards unless he sets them one turn in advance."

"A minor setback," said Gripilus.

"Then there's Cryomancer's effect," continued Karl. "When _he's _one the field with another Ice Barrier Monster, like he is now, Level 4 or higher Monsters can't attack.

"Even without my Field Spell in play, he's only Level 2. You see, my Ice Barrier Monsters watch each other's backs, unlike certain folks who make fiery speeches that raise the ire of their tribes until they get angry enough to attack coalitions five times their size."

Gripilus was clearly upset. He started to say something…

But then he stopped short when he realized that what he was going to say would only support what Karl had said.

"You don't have to be so mean about it…" he grumbled.

"Do you have any idea how much damage was caused in the riots you _have _managed to cause?" asked Karl.

He pointed, and Cryomancer blasted a bolt of pure ice at Cyber Esper. The fiery Machine froze solid, and then shattered.

"You took the bait just as I planned!" laughed the bullywug.

His Trap Card shot up.

"It's Byroad Sacrifice! Since my Monster was destroyed, I get to Special Summon something better from my hand! Here comes Cyber Ogre!"

With a roar, a huge, hulking Machine rose out of the Ocean. It looked like a mechanized demon made of black iron with fairly obvious hinged joints. It had glowing optic sensors. (1,900 ATK)

"O-kay, I think I'll end my turn now…" said Karl.

**(K: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 7,700)**

Gripilus made a draw, and took two cards from his hand.

"Unfortunately, my Monster is Level 5," he said, "so I'll just set these, and my turn is over."

Two facedown cards materialized behind Cyber Ogre.

_At least this doesn't seem to be a Fire Monster, _thought Karl, as he made a draw.

He looked at the card. It was Dewdark of the Ice Barrier.

_Not bad! _he thought. _This will make a killer combo._

"I summon Dewdark of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

The watery, veiled assassin appeared in an icy haze. (1,200 ATK) –) (1,400 ATK)

"Dewdark has a neat effect too," he continued. "He can zip right by your Monsters and attack directly, so long as I don't control any Monsters that are higher than Level 2.

"And since my Field Spell downgrades Warlock's Level from 3 to 2, he's gonna do just that.

"Dewdark, attack directly! Edge Reflection!"

Dewdark sped at Gripilus so fast that he was a blur of light. The bullywug barely saw it coming; he only felt two sharp stabs and a kick that knocked him down.

**(K: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 6,300)**

"Heh…" said Karl. "And to think I was afraid of this guy…"

"_Don't get cocky," _said Sal. _"Don't forget, that was the same mistake that he made."_

Karl smirked. Sal was right… Sometimes he thought he had made her TOO smart…

"It's your move, Gripilus," he said.

"Oh, I'll move all right," said Gripilus.

He drew a card.

"See these two cards?" he said, pointing to his two facedown cards. "I couldn't use them last turn because of your Warlock, but I'm using them now…"

One of the two Spell Cards lifted up.

"Star Blast?" gasped Karl.

"I'm using a Level 5 Monster that has only 1,900 Attack Points," said Gripilus. "It would make sense that I'd have Star Blast. And if I pay 1,000 Life Points, I can reduce Cyber Ogre's Level to 3 for one round, meaning it can get by your Cryomancer's defense.

"And now that I've done that…"

The other Spell Card lifted up. It was Giant Trunade. A Legendary Ocean vanished, and the card appeared back in Karl's hand. Dewdark fell to an Attack Score of 1,200, Cryomancer to 1,300, and Warlock's Defense Score returned to 1,000.

"Attack his Cryomancer!" shouted Gripilus. "Cyber roar!"

The attack name fit it perfectly. Cyber Ogre let out a loud sonic bellow, and Cryomancer shattered into shards of ice.

**(K: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 5,300)**

"Seems I just broke up your lock, Shadowchaser," chuckled Gripilus. "It's your move, and your Warlock is next…"

_Seems little Monsters aren't going to cut it, _thought Karl,_ as he looked at his hand. I'm going to have to stall until I can summon someone bigger._

_Fortunately, his Cyber Ogre can't destroy Reese…_

He drew a card.

Then he took Reese's card and another one from his hand, and set them both. Once again, a set Monster and a set card in his Spell Zone appeared.

Then Dewdark crouched and shielded himself in Defense Mode. (800 DEF)

"That will be all for now," he said.

"My move…" said Gripilus, making a draw.

Cyber Ogre belched its awful roar again, and Warlock of the Ice Barrier shattered.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow," said Gripilus, as a facedown card appeared behind Cyber Ogre. "I'll set this, and then you go."

Karl frowned as he made a draw. He looked at it.

"Dewdark, move back to Attack Mode!" he exclaimed.

Dewdark stood up once again. (1,200 ATK)

"Next, I sacrifice my other Monster…" he said.

The set Monster vanished.

"For Royal Knight of the Ice Barrier!"

Unlike most of the humanoid dwellers of the Ice Barrier, the one that appeared this time had a definite Western look. He was a knight in what might have been shining armor, but it wasn't shining – it was crystalline, with a snowflake design. He held a long lance. (2,000 ATK)

"When Royal Knight is Tribute Summoned," said Karl, "I get to summon an Ice Coffin Token… To _your _side of the field!"

A small ice crystal held in place by a golden stand appeared next to Cyber Ogre. (1,000 ATK)

"Dewdark, smash that coffin!" shouted Karl.

Dewdark dashed at the Token, and blew it to pieces.

"Royal Knight, destroy Cyber Ogre!" he continued.

"_Karl, wait!" _shouted Sal.

It was too late. Royal Knight rushed at the big Machine, lance first.

"I activate Cyber Ogre's effect," said Gripilus, with a grin, "which I do by sending a second Cyber Ogre in my hand to the Graveyard."

He took a card from his hand, and discarded it.

"It negates your Knight's attack, and then increases my Ogre's Attack Score by 2,000 points until it battles again…"

Royal Knight bounced off an invisible shield, and Cyber Ogre glowed with energy… (3,900 ATK)

"You could have warned me sooner…" muttered Karl.

"_It took me a long time to look through these files," _replied Sal. _"That's not exactly a common card…"_

"I end my turn…" said Karl, nervously.

**(K: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 5,100)**

Gripilus made a draw, and grinned.

"Well…" he said, "I could just attack your Knight with my Ogre…

"But I have a better idea…"

He played a Spell Card, and Polymerization appeared in front of him.

"I fuse this Cyber Ogre with a third one…"

The third Cyber Ogre appeared, and then both faded into a dark, swirling vortex.

"…to summon the mighty, though poorly named, Cyber Ogre 2!"

The ground burst open, and a goliath of robots rose from the fissure. It was huge, hulking and solid, with no features on its face, and giant, powerful arms. It had no legs, its lower body ending in a long, serpentine tail, and balanced itself on those huge arms. All in all, it seemed to be a Machine whose design sacrificed practically everything in favor of raw physical power. (2,600 ATK)

"Okay that's… big…" said Karl.

"Wait until you see it attack," said Gripilus, as it lifted its arms. "Because when it does so, it gains Attack Points equal to half the Attack Score of the Monster it's attacking."

Cyber Ogre 2 lunged at Dewdark, and its Attack Score rose to 3,200. It slammed its mighty fist down, crushing him.

"Ergh…" grunted Karl.

**(K: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 5,100)**

Gripilus took the last card in his hand, and set it on his Disk. A defensive Monster appeared next to Cyber Ogre 2.

"That should do it," he said.

Karl looked at Royal Knight, and at his facedown card.

_Okay, I need a winner here… _he thought.

He drew a card.

_That'll do!_

His facedown card lifted up, and Call of the Haunted revealed itself. Warlock of the Ice Barrier appeared again. (400 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice both Monsters…" he said.

Warlock and Royal Knight vanished into two orbs of pure, frigid cold, which combined into one larger orb.

"…to summon the supreme general of the Army of the Ice Barrier! I summon General Grunard!"

In a blast of cold wind and an aura of snow and ice, a more imposing Warrior than either Gantala or Raiho appeared where the two Monsters had been. He was fully seven feet tall, and clad completely in sapphire-blue plate armor that had an icy sheen to it, complete with a peaked helmet and a snowflake design on the chest. (2,800 ATK)

"Ho boy…" said Gripilus.

"I never got a chance to use Grunard in our last duel," said Karl, "allow me to make your acquaintance… He has a powerful effect too… I'm allowed an extra Normal Summon every turn, so long as I use it to summon an Ice Barrier Monster.

"So, I think I'll summon Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier."

There was another chilling wind, and a beautiful woman dressed in a decorated leather suit with fur highlights, holding two disks shaped like snowflakes, gracefully strode onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"General…" continued Karl. "Destroy Cyber Ogre 2! Fury of Boreas!"

General Grunard's eyes glowed, and what could best be described as a storm of pure cold blasted at Gripilus's Monster. It staggered and stumbled, but then froze as a coating of ice covered it from top to bottom.

Then it just fell apart, collapsing into a pile of inert junk.

**(K: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 4,900)**

"You're no fun anymore, Karl…" said Gripilus, with a sneer.

"Was this ever supposed to be fun?" asked Karl.

He pointed, and Dance Princess literally danced towards the hidden Monster. Dark Mimic LV1 appeared on the card, and she made a slash with one of her disks, cutting it in half.

Gripilus made one draw.

"It's your move, Gripilus," said Karl. "Let's see what else you've got."

_Oh, I've got plenty, _thought the bullywug, as he made his next draw. _My big surprise is still to come._

He looked at his two cards.

_And these will help me summon it._

"I summon Cyber Valley!" he exclaimed.

In a flash of light, a small Machine that could best be described as an immature Cyber Dragon – if Cyber Dragons were capable of bearing young – appeared in front of him. (0 ATK)

"Then, I play Machine Duplication," he continued, as he played his other card. "I'll summon two more of them."

Two more Cyber Esper's appeared.

"_Not good Karl," _said Sal._ "None of your attacks are going to do anything until those things are gone."_

"No problem," said Karl. "I have nowhere to go."

He drew a card.

"General Grunard, attack one of his Cyber Valleys!"

General Grunard gestured, and the storm started again,

"I activate Cyber Valley's first effect!" shouted Gripilus. "By removing it from play, I can end the Battle Phase immediately, and draw one card."

One of the Machines vanished, and he made a draw.

Karl looked at his hand. He looked at the Monster he had just drawn.

_Think I'll save her for later, _he thought.

"It's your move," he said.

Gripilus made another draw, and looked at it.

"I'm using Cyber Valley's second effect this time," he said. "By removing it and another Monster from play, I can draw twice."

Both of the remaining Cyber Valleys vanished, and he made two draws. Gripilus looked over his four cards.

"I'll set a Monster and one facedown card and end my turn."

A hidden Monster appeared, then a set card appeared in his Spell Zone next to the other one.

"My move!" shouted Karl, making a draw.

_Hmm, a Trap Card,_ he thought, looking at it.

"Okay pal, I'm setting this facedown," he said, as it appeared on his side of the field.

"Then my Dance Princess will attack!"

Dance Princess pranced across the field, and a robotic humanoid with green armor and gears for joints appeared on the card. She smashed it to pieces.

_A Mighty Guard? _thought Karl. _Not exactly the Lord of Machines…_

_Oh well…_

"General Grunard… Attack Gripilus directly!"

The General's eyes glowed, and his storm started. Gripilus grunted a little as it intensified.

"This is one of the downsides to being cold-blooded…" he grunted. "But at least I have this…"

One of his Trap Cards lifted up.

"It's called Shock Reborn. It cuts the damage I take from your attack in half.

"Plus, I get to Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard with an Attack Score equal to or less than the amount of damage I took. So look who's back…"

Cyber Esper appeared, crossing its arms in Defense Mode. (1,800 DEF)

"Big deal," said Karl. "I was afraid of it before, but it will never melt ice as cold as Grunard."

"Perhaps not…" said Gripilus, "but maybe I can use it to summon a Monster that will…"

Karl looked at him.

"I… end my turn…" he said.

**(K: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 3,500)**

Gripilus made a draw.

"Okay, Karl…" he said, "I activate my… Pot of Avarice."

The Spell Card appeared, and he quickly took all three Cyber Ogres, Cyber Ogre 2, and Dark Mimic LV1 from his discard slot. His deck was reshuffled, and he made two draws, giving him four cards.

_Perfect, _he thought. _Now I have some added protection. _

"First, I play Silent Doom," he said, as he played another Spell Card. "I'll bring Mighty Guard back to the field in Defense Mode."

Mighty Guard appeared, kneeling and crossing its arms. (1,200 DEF)

"Then," he continued, as yet another Spell Card appeared, "I play Machine Duplication! You can never have too many!"

Two more Mighty Guards appeared next to the first one. (1,200 DEF x2)

"Then, I summon Genex Controller!"

In a flash of dark energy, a much cuter robot, made up of a face with small limbs and light bulbs protruding from it appeared on the final space in his Monster Zone. (1,400 ATK)

"That's a Tuner!" exclaimed Karl.

"It sure is!" laughed Gripilus. "And I'm going to Tune it and Cyber Esper to summon my ultimate weapon…"

Genex Controller and Cyber Esper flew into the sky, and faded into seven glowing stars.

"_When two of the most powerful robotic armies in the universe band together, they form a fighting force that is nearly unstoppable! Behold as these machinations create a warrior that is both an Ally and a Genex..."_

**(*3 +*4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Genex Ally Triforce!"_

A large robot landed on the field that resembled a life-size toy action figure. It was streamlined, with silvery armor, and had a triple-barreled blaster cannon for a right hand. (2,500 ATK)

"And just how is that thing going to beat Grunard?" asked Karl. "He's stronger!"

Gripilus grinned, and held up the last card in his hand.

"I pay 1,000 Life Points to activate the Chaos Gear!" he laughed.

He played the card, and a silvery gear with six teeth appeared on Triforce's chest.

"Every time Triforce battles a Monster while Equipped with the Chaos Gear, it will choose a number between one and six, then multiply by 500, then add the result to Triforce's Attack Score."

He laughed again.

"Triforce can even beat your General if it lands on a one!"

Triforce aimed its weapon at Grunard, and the Chaos Gear spun. The number 3 appeared in the center of the gear, and Triforce's Attack Score rose to 4,000.

"Attack his General!" ordered Gripilus. "Plasma blaster!"

Triforce shot a blast of pure, superheated energy, and General Grunard of the Ice Barrier was eradicated.

"And because I used a Fire Monster as the non-Tuner to summon this guy," continued Gripilus, "Triforce has a special effect… You've heard of the Flame Wingman, haven't you?"

Triforce fired a blast like a flamethrower at Karl, and he truly screamed…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

When he was fifteen, when he thought he was over his fear of fire, Karl took an interest in Duel Monsters. He built a deck with a strategy that seemed sound, rented a Duel Disk, and entered a local tournament. He even won the first round.

But in the second, as fate would have it, his opponent was a girl using a Laval Deck. The duel rekindled his fear of fire, but only where Duel Monsters were concerned. Needless to say, he lost that duel.

But one good thing came from it – he got ten booster packs as a consolation prize. Opening them up, he found Samurai of the Ice Barrier and Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier among the other cards.

He looked at the two residents of the Ice Barrier for a long time after taking them out of the packs.

"Some people say you should fight fire with fire…" he told himself. "Bull… Firefighters don't carry napalm…

"Water is what you should fight fire with… And if the water comes in the form of frigid, cold ice where fire likely couldn't even start… All the better…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Hmmm…" said Gripilus.

He looked at Karl, who was down on his knees, shaking…

**(K: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 2,500)**

"Eh?" said the bullywug. "You should have lost more than that…"

Then he noticed Karl's activated Trap Card.

"Technically, I did…" said Karl, as he got up. "But thanks to Option Hunter, I gained Life Points equal to Grunard's Attack Points.

"It's my move now… You want to play dirty, I'm as game as you are…"

"Well, my Chaos Gear has another effect, by the way," said Gripilus. "If you try to target my Monster with any effect at all, it will spin again. If it lands on a one, three, or five, the effect fails.

"And it can do that all day if that's what it takes to get the point across."

Karl drew a card.

_There's one fatal flaw in his plan… _he thought. _That Chaos Gear may protect his Monster from effects and make it hard to battle, but the Gear itself is a lot less durable._

_So I'll fight it with a Synchro of my own._

"I play… Salvage!" he shouted, as he played a Spell Card. "Now I get to take two Water Monsters from my Graveyard, so long as they have 1,500 Attack Points or less."

Dewdark and Warlock slipped out of his discard slot, and he took them.

"Now, I'll summon Dewdark…"

In the same reflective aura, Dewdark appeared. (1,200 ATK)

"…and I'll Tune him and Dance Princess together…"

The two icy comrades flew towards the sky, and slowly dissolved into six glowing stars.

"_Mighty spirit of the North Wind, descend to bring your savage storm to the frozen tundra!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

_"Synchro Summon… Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

Brionac roared, as he appeared in front of Karl. (2,300 ATK)

"Sorry, Karl," said Gripilus, "but I remember that guy, and I took a precaution this time…"

His facedown card, the one he had set on his fourth turn.

"The Restriction of Tribe!"

"Huh?" said Karl.

He looked at the card.

"Kinda looks like the scene on The Regulation of Tribe…" he said, "but from a different angle…"

"It's the same basic idea," said Gripilus, "but instead of preventing one Type of Monster from attacking, it prevents the Type I choose from using effects.

"And I choose Sea Serpents."

"Terrific…" muttered Karl.

He quickly read the text of the Trap Card.

"Hmm…" he said.

"Brionac, attack one of his Mighty Guards!" he shouted. "Death Blizzard!"

Brionac exhaled its cone of frost, and one of the smaller robots exploded into slag.

"I have to end my turn," he said.

He looked at Brionac.

"Sorry old pal…"

Gripilus drew a card.

It was Dimension Explosion.

_Eh, _he thought.

"I sacrifice one Mighty Guard to keep The Restriction of Tribe for now," he said, as one of the remaining Guards vanished. "Then I attack your Monster with Genex Ally Triforce!"

Triforce aimed its weapon, and the Chaos Gear started to spin again.

"The Chaos Gear goes round and round," laughed Gripilus, "round and round…"

Karl was clearly upset. Gripilus was nuts, of course, but that didn't excuse this.

The number 2 finally appeared, and Triforce's Attack Score rose to 3,500. It fired its plasma blaster, and Brionac roared before it burst in an explosion of flames.

"And once again, you lose Life Points equal to its Attack Score," continued Gripilus.

Karl screamed again, as Triforce roasted him with its flamethrower.

**(K: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 2,500)**

"_Karl, I don't want to state the obvious," _said Sal,_ "but one more hit, and you lose."_

"I've got an idea," replied Karl, as he caught his breath. "Have you looked up Genex Ally Triforce?"

"_Yes," _replied Sal. _"It's a Dark Machine Synchro…"_

"That's all I need to know," replied Karl.

He drew a card.

"First off, Gripilus," he said, "I'm playing MY Pot of Avarice."

He played the card, and took Reese the Ice Mistress, Dewdark of the Ice Barrier, General Grunard of the Ice Barrier, Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier, and Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier from his Graveyard slot. His deck was reshuffled, and he made two draws.

"Now that I've done that, I summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

The young girl in the blue kimono and coolie hat appeared in front of him. (800 ATK)

"If you wanted to surrender, just say so," chuckled Gripilus.

"I'm not surrendering," said Karl.

He quickly discarded Warlock of the Ice Barrier.

"By ditching one card, I get to name one Attribute, and Monsters of that Attribute aren't allowed to come near her. I name Dark, which means she's safe from your mean Machine.

"Next, I set a facedown…"

A reversed card appeared behind Geomancer.

"And I end my turn."

Gripilus made a draw.

He smirked.

"Just in case this doesn't work," he said, "I'll get rid of my last Mighty Guard to keep The Restriction of Tribe one round more…"

The Machine vanished.

"But I doubt I'll need it… I play Monster Reincarnation!"

He played the card, and discarded Dimension Explosion. He took Cyber Esper from his Graveyard slot, and threw it on his Disk. It appeared again. (1,200 ATK)

"So my Triforce can't attack her… I'll just attack _you _with it once Esper is through with her!

"Cyber Esper, attack Geomancer of the Ice Barrier with Cyber Burn!"

Cyber Esper shot its flaming rings at the young Spellcaster…

"I activate… Realize Defense!" shouted Karl, as his facedown card shot up. "Because Geomancer has more Defense Points than she does Attack Points, she moves to Defense Mode now!"

Geomancer crouched and crossed her arms. (1,200 DEF) The blasts of heat bounced off.

"Well, that sucks…" said Gripilus. "Make your move…"

Karl made a draw.

"Come on, come on," said Gripilus. "Cyber Esper's effect, you know…"

Karl turned the card forward. It was Aqua Spirit.

"Actually, I'm ending my turn without making _any _move," he said.

"Trying to wait me out, huh?" asked Gripilus.

The bullywug made a draw.

It was Power Bond.

_Curses, of all the times I would have been delighted to draw this… _he thought. _No matter… All three of my Cyber Ogres are waiting in my deck, and I'm bound to draw one soon. It can get by Geomancer's effect..._

_And he can't summon another Monster to destroy Cyber Esper, because if he does, Triforce will fry it, and he'll lose. _

"Well," he said, "I have to sacrifice a Monster if I want to keep The Restriction of Tribe… But you know what? I think it's served its purpose, so I'm gonna keep what I have."

The Trap Card shattered.

"And it's your move."

Karl made a draw.

"Take a look!" he exclaimed, turning the card forward.

"I have to show her to you because of Cyber Esper, and she's going to help defeat your mean Machine!"

"Geisha of the Ice Barrier?" asked Gripilus. "What does she do?"

Karl played the card, and Geisha appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"She'll be glad to tell you," replied Karl. "Or rather, she'll be glad to show you.

"Because I have another Ice Barrier Monster on the field, I can reveal one in my hand…"

He turned Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier forward.

"…and place one of your face-up Spell or Trap Cards into set position! Your Chaos Gear may protect that Monster from effects, but can it protect _itself?_"

The Chaos Gear card vanished, and was replaced by a set card.

"HEY!" shouted Gripilus.

"No, it cannot," continued Karl.

He played a Spell Card.

"Next, I play Double Summon!" he exclaimed Karl. "I'll use it to summon Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier."

In a gust of icy wind, a mysterious-looking individual wearing a blue robe, cowl, and veil, holding a long staff, all of which had the Ice Barrier's crest adorning them, appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"Next, I Tune Shock Troops and Geomancer together…"

The two Spellcasters flew into the sky, and each of them turned into three glowing stars…

"_Noble beast of the frozen north! Command your territory of ice and snow with your mighty roar of pride!"_

**(*3 + *3 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon... Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier!"_

Dewloren bounded onto the field, and let out a great roar. (2,000 ATK)

"Ho boy…" said Gripilus.

"I'm not done," said Karl, as he opened his Field Slot. "You remember that I had this, didn't you?"

He played the card, and once again, A Legendary Ocean covered the field. Dewloren's Attack Score rose to 2,200, while Geisha's rose to 1,700.

"Then I remove one Water Monster from play," said Karl, "to Special Summon Aqua Spirit."

The watery sylph appeared, frowning at Gripilus. (1,600 ATK) – (1,800 ATK)

"Then, I return my idle Call of the Haunted to my hand, to boost Dewloren's Attack Score by 500 points."

The Trap Card reappeared in Karl's hand, and Dewloren glowed with frigid energy. (2,700 ATK)

"Dewloren…" ordered Karl, "attack Genex Ally Triforce with Roar of the North Wind!"

Dewloren let out a mighty roar, and a storm of frost, snow, and sleet bombarded the robot. It struggled, and then exploded, its inner core rupturing.

"Ergh…" grunted Gripilus.

"Geisha, put out Cyber Esper's fire for good!" ordered Karl.

Geisha hurled her twin fans, and the gaunt robot was cut cleanly in two at the waist. The pieces shattered into fragments.

"CRUD!" shouted Gripilus. "Why the Hell didn't I have the sense to move it into Defense Mode?"

"Because you were hoping I'd send something to attack it, that's why," replied Karl. "You've based your whole career on thinking people – the folks you incite to riot, the bullywugs who followed you, and law enforcement – are easily fooled. You're a cynic, that's what you are, and not in a good way.

"You think things like that, the person you're fooling most is yourself.

"Aqua Spirit, finish him off!"

Aqua Spirit held up her hand, and conjured up a giant wave of water from the very substance of A Legendary Ocean. Gripilus screamed…

**(K: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 0)**

"Well that's weird…" said Karl, as the holograms vanished. "Since when are bullywugs afraid of water? They're amphibians!"

He looked at the unconscious anarchist.

Then he noticed the strange pendant around his neck. He lifted it up and looked at it hard.

"Sal, do a scan on this," he said. "See if it registers for divine power."

"_Scanning,"_ said Sal. _"Hmmm, yes, it does… But faint… It's clearly a religious symbol of some Shadowkind deity, but Gripilus must not have been in good standing in the congregation."_

"Question is…" said Karl, "who… or _what_… is it a symbol of?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

An hour later, Tiberius and Lorelei were speaking to the Triad again.

"It seems our two expendable henchmen failed," said Tiberius. "It's a good thing they were expendable."

"Yes," said the First, "and we couldn't be happier."

Tiberius and Lorelei looked at each other.

"Uh... Why?" asked Lorelei, nervously.

If the two lesser Doomdreamers knew one thing, it was that if the Triad was happy, someone else was _unhappy. _Or was going to be.

"_While Giese and Gripilus were using those Dark Forge cards," _replied the Second, _"their power flowed into our god's prison, making him slightly stronger. Even though the duels were lost, he became slightly more powerful because of it."_

"Even Major Dugan's duel with Jeremy Skull fed him slightly," said the Third, "despite the fact that he wasn't even a member of our group. Possibly, this enemy that Hape speaks of has started something important that we must keep going."

"As for these cards, they can benefit us indeed," added the First. "Send this Hape in."

Tiberius motioned to Graves, who was standing by the door. Graves opened the door.

"Come on in," he said.

Hape slowly walked in. Strangely, he didn't seem nervous in the least when he looked upon the Triad.

"My lords," said Tiberius, "this is Marcus Hape. Mr. Hape… The true lords of the Order of the Dark One… The Triad."

"I am honored," said Hape, making a bow.

"Continue supplying these cards," said the First, "and we will see good things in your future here."

"_And this 'enemy' you speak of?" _asked the Second.

"He has no name," said Hape, "at least none that can be remembered by anyone alive. But mark my words, he is a threat.

"The only thing you must do to protect yourself from him is keep me around. I know how to keep this threat in check."

The Triad looked at each other, and nodded.

"Very well," said the First. "Continue with the current plan for now, Tiberius. And keep the Shadowchasers busy."

"_Make sure they get enough exercise," _said the Second.

"And try to find out anything that they find out," added the Third.

"We will let you know of anything special that needs to be done," said the First. "And if you do indeed know where to find Lareth the Beautiful, Mr. Hape…"

There was a pause.

"I do indeed," replied Hape.

"Then we will make plans for that," she replied. "Keep alert for further instructions."

The hologram vanished.

Tiberius and Lorelei let out a deep breath.

"Lifesaver?" asked Lorelei, taking a roll of fruit candies out of her pocket.

"Thanks," sighed Tiberius, taking the top one.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next morning, back at the penthouse, the three Shadowchasers were gathered around the dining room table, while Karl had the computer on. The pendants that they had taken from the Mean Emcee, Drago, Giese, and Gripilus were on the table.

This means something," said Dugan. "Almost everyone we've fought recently has either vanished, is dead, or is comatose in the infirmary at the Shadowchasers' detention center. And all have been wearing this thing."

Then they noticed that piano music was playing in the other room.

"I didn't know Bartholomew could play the piano…" said Nichole.

"Uh, I'm not…" said the brownie, who was changing a light bulb on the other side of the room.

They careful peeked into the formal dining room, and saw that it was Ben playing the grand piano, playing _Mack the Knife._

He stopped short when he realized everyone was looking at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" he said. "I didn't know I wasn't supposed to…"

"It's okay Ben…" said Nichole, nervously. "Play the piano as much as you like…"

They walked back into the regular dining room, now more nervous than ever.

"This is downright creepy…" said Nichole. "It seems every time we turn around he finds out he can do something else he didn't know he could do before."

"We have to concentrate on the matter at hand," said Karl, as he sat down at the computer. "Identifying that amulet."

A screen came up.

"Well, there's nothing in the main Shadowchaser files about that symbol, but... I'll send an e-mail to the guy who runs the archive, he'll look in the more complete files, and we should know by two o'clock if he has anything."

Then Nichole's cell phone rang. She answered it.

"Freddy?" she said.

"Glad I caught you," replied Freddy.

"Freddy, look," said Nichole, "I'm sorry I was such an ass the other day, it's just that things have been hectic lately, and…"

"Don't worry about it," replied Freddy. "That's why I'm calling. You're not gonna believe this, but two guys just left, and they were looking for the same information you were looking for. And they were more annoying than any folks your group ever sent here."

Nichole turned on a speaker on the desk, and put the phone in it so they could all hear.

"Talk to me," she said.

"Okay, these two punkers walk in," said Freddy. "I'm sure you know the type. Mohawks, nose jewelry, leather jackets with ugly designs. They wanted to know what I told you.

"I was no idiot, of course. I asked who wanted to know. They said they were there on behalf of the almighty Azathoth.

"Heh, heh… Those idiots thought I didn't know who Azathoth is. There are benefits to being a nerd, you know."

"Who is he?" asked Dugan.

"A big guy in H.P. Lovecraft's stories," replied Freddy. "You know, old pulp magazine horror stories? He's only mentioned a few times, as the most powerful of the Outer Gods. Let's see here…

"In the short story 'The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath', Lovecraft describes him as follows: 'Outside the ordered universe is that amorphous blight of nethermost confusion which blasphemes and bubbles at the center of all infinity – the boundless daemon sultan Azathoth, whose name no lips dare speak aloud, and who gnaws hungrily in inconceivable, unlighted chambers beyond time and space amidst the muffled, maddening beating of vile drums and the thin monotonous whine of accursed flutes.'

"Scary stuff, huh? Basically, Azathoth is supposed to be pure destructive Chaos given form."

"Do you think these bikers actually worshipped this being?" asked Nichole, with a slight tremble in her voice.

Freddy laughed.

"Nichole, Nichole!" he said. "If they do, they're even crazier than they looked. Azathoth is something called a 'fictional character'."

"Most Mundanes think the same thing about Frankenstein…" said Karl, under his breath.

Then he spoke up.

"Look, Freddy, were these punkers wearing any strange symbols? Gang colors, amulets, pendants?"

"Gee, now that you mention it…" he replied. "They did each have a tattoo and a matching amulet that I've never seen before. The symbol of a skull with no jawbone, on a black sunburst."

"WHAT?" shouted Dugan.

"The Dark Suns?" exclaimed Karl.

"What'd I say?" said Freddy.

"Freddy, listen carefully," said Nichole, as she picked up the phone. "Some members of St. Cuthbert's House are going to be there within an hour. Don't talk to them, don't bother them, just ignore them. They're going to be there for your benefit."

"What's wrong?" asked Freddy.

"You think MY group is hard to deal with because we keep bothering you?" asked Nichole. "When the Dark Suns don't like a place of business, they burn it down!"

The Dark Suns were a motorcycle gang that some had been called "Sons of Tyranny wanna-bes". They had yet to exhibit any divine powers, but they had also chosen to follow a god… One just as bad as Hextor. They followed Cyric, a god of lies and domination with a huge ego, and by doing so, had become a dangerous hate group. Cyric, like St. Cuthbert, was believed to have once been mortal, but that was the only thing the two gods had in common. With the largest ego in the cosmos, Cyric did not think that any species, race, or creed other than the one he had once belonged to when he was mortal was worthy of being in his presence.

A gang of bigots are bad enough at the best of times, but ones that are Aware who add all walks of Shadowkind to the list of targets they try to stamp out are even worse.

The three Shadowchasers looked at each other as Nichole hung up.

"Things just got a great deal more complicated…" said Dugan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHOCK REBORN (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A duelist summoning a four-winged Fiend made of green energy as a bolt of orange energy shoots towards him. (The duelist has a great resemblance to Yusei Fudo.)

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent declares an attack. Reduce the Battle Damage you take from the attack by half. Then, Special Summon a Monster from your Graveyard with an ATK equal to or less than the damage you took.

_Note: "Shock Reborn" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "A New Threat (Part 2)" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**THE RESTRICTION OF TRIBE (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **Similar to the scene on "The Regulation of Tribe", but from a different angle.

**Card Description: **Select 1 Type of Monster. Monsters of the selected Type cannot use their effects. Tribute 1 Monster you control during each of your Standby Phases. If you do not, destroy this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – CHAOS GEAR (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A demon holding up a small, silvery gear and looking at it, scratching his head.

**Card Description: **Equip only to a Machine-Type Monster that is Level 5 or higher. Pay 1,000 Life Points to Equip this card. When the Equipped Monster battles another Monster, roll 1 die. Increase the ATK of the Equipped by 500x the result of the roll during the Damage Step only. If the Equipped Monster would be targeted by the effect of an opponent's card, roll 1 die. If the roll is 1, 3, or 5, negate the effect and destroy the card. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Dugan: Hatred never dies…**_

_**Nichole and I came to this backwater bar for information on the Dark Suns, and now I have one hot on my tail. Looking at his rap sheet on my D-Wheel's computer, it seems this guy was busy before he ever joined the Dark Suns, a group he claims to lead. I'm in a fierce Turbo Duel, and an ominous shadow has been cast across the highway, as a terrible Monster has been summoned. It was unlikely enough that this thug had a card so rare… But this card is the rarest card of a set in which all its members are incredibly rare. **_

"_**Power From Above; The Unholy Eclipse" is coming soon. **_

_**Turbo Duel, Acceleration!**_


	14. Power From Above, The Unholy Eclipse

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FOURTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Power From Above**

**The Unholy Eclipse**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"So what do we do now?" asked Karl, as he put on his riding jacket.

"You do what you were planning to do, and investigate that trouble on Lake Shore Drive," replied Dugan. "Nichole, you and I will go to the Tire Iron. The Dark Suns might have been there, and the owner and I are on amenable terms last I checked. We might get some info."

Ben watched them leave, and then sat down. He looked at the phone.

He remembered what Willy had said.

"_Now, I believe Kesto is lecturing at the Academy of Modern Wizardry in Vienna right now, but he should be back the day after tomorrow."_

It _was _the day after tomorrow now…

"Uh, Bartholomew?" he asked.

"Mmm?" said the brownie.

"Think Dugan would be mad if I made a long distance phone call?" he asked.

"Well, Dugan doesn't pay the phone bill," replied Bartholomew, "and we're kinda on a frequent long distance plan…"

Ben sighed and looked at the phone again.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In a conference room in the TRUE Building, Tiberius was going over the Dark Forge cards one by one, as Hape looked on.

"Mmm-hmm…" he said. "Mmm… Yes… Oh, this is a good one…"

He looked at it closely.

"Not bad…" he said. "Too bad these can't be used in Turbo Duels."

"What, you want to use one in a Turbo Duel?" asked Hape. "Gimme…"

He took the card, and then put it in his shirt pocket. Then he snapped his fingers, and took it out again. He handed it to Tiberius.

"Problem solved."

Tiberius looked at the card, and then gave Hape a strange look.

He sighed.

_I'm a divine spellcaster… _he thought. _I can cast spells that are granted by the god I've pledged myself too… That's _normal _magic. _

_But this Hape guy is downright weird!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Motorcycle gangs were a subculture that had started in post-World War II America, centered on cruiser motorcycles, most often Harley-Davidsons and choppers. They represented, for the most part, freedom and nonconformity to mainstream culture.

Not all motorcycle gangs were bad. Many of them participated in charity events and other noble causes. One reference to a statement by the American Motorcyclist Association (which may or may not have been fabricated) said that roughly ninety-nine percent of motorcycle gang members were law-abiding citizens.

And the other one percent? They were often called "one-percenters" and some were proud of being called that. Possibly the largest and most well-known gang of one-percenters were the Hells Angels, a gang and criminal syndicate that was found all over the world.

The world of Shadow had their own one-percenters, a violent group called the Sons of Tyranny, violent bikers with the divine spark of Hextor, the god of tyranny and war, flowing through their veins. They had vowed to not only become just as infamous as the Hells Angels, but to take their place as the most feared motorcycle gang in the country.

And now and then, wanna-bes showed up… Most didn't take groups like the Dark Suns seriously, but many had called the small group that had become the Sons of Tyranny "Hells Angels wanna-bes" until they had received Hextor's blessing.

Just by looking at the bar on the outskirts of town called the Tire Iron you could see that it was a haven for bikers. There were no cars in the parking lot – only motorcycles. The management claimed to only serve law-abiding customers, but it was well-known that many crooks often snuck in here. Especially during happy hour; the nachos they had then were to die for.

Dugan and Nichole drove up, and parked their D-Wheels in a very unassuming spot.

"Dugan, this seems weird…" said Nichole. "Since when do biker gangs sit down and read the old stories from the pulp magazines of the 1930's? You'd think that they'd be more interested in less… cultured magazines, like _Hustler_ and the stuff that caters to bikers."

"That's what we're here to find out," replied Dugan. "Watch your back, this place can get a little rough. And watch your rear."

"Do you mean that literally or figuratively?" asked Nichole.

"Both!" replied Dugan.

They walked in to the smell of cigarette smoke and the sound of loud music. Even before noon, this place was crowded by laughing, boisterous bikers. Dugan and Nichole disregarded most of them, and headed straight for the bartender, a large, muscular, bald guy.

"Hey, Perry," said Dugan.

"Hey, if it ain't the Major," laughed the big guy.

"Yeah, it's me," said Dugan. "Look… Big guy… Have the Dark Suns been poking around here?"

"Depends…" said Perry. "Who's asking?"

"A very nice person," replied Dugan. "His name is Andrew Jackson."

He held up a twenty-dollar bill.

Alphonse's expression suddenly turned serious. He looked to the sides, and then took the bill.

"Yeah, they've been around," he said, "and they've been acting really weird. They're working for someone to make extra money these days – apparently, the usual methods of shaking down gas station attendants isn't bringing in much.

"Frankly, I think they want what the Sons of Tyranny got, but they don't got it."

"Did they mention someone named Azathoth?" asked Nichole.

"I can only tell that to Andrew Jackson," replied Perry.

Dugan sighed.

He held up another twenty.

"This better be worth it, Perry," he said.

Perry took the twenty and looked around again.

"Azathoth is apparently a pseudonym for the employer of the guy whom they're working for," said Alphonse. "They say that some guy comes to them with instructions from this guy named Azathoth, and reports back to them. I doubt that any of the Dark Suns have ever seen Azathoth personally, or know who he really is. It's likely just a name some crime boss calls himself.

"Oh, speak of the devil, some folks seem to be interested in you two…"

He motioned, and the two Shadowchasers looked towards the billiards room. Two mean-looking punks with tattoos on their arms like the ones Freddy had described – a jawless skull on a black sunburst, which was, incidentally, Cyric's symbol – were standing there.

"Only two of them…" said Nichole.

"Take my word for it," said Perry, "two that you can see means a _lot _more that you can't.

"Don't worry, I'll help you lose them…"

"How much?" asked Dugan.

"Don' worry!" laughed Perry. "Buy two, get a third for free!"

He reached up, and started ringing a bell hanging above the bar.

"Happy hour!" he shouted. "Nachos in the billiards room!"

The whole bar reacted. Everyone got up and made a rush towards the billiards room. Everyone, that is, except Dugan and Nichole, who made a rush in the other direction.

They were almost to the door, when someone grabbed Nichole's leg. One member of the Dark Suns had caught up to her, although he had stumbled as he had.

"Let go, ugly!" she shouted.

She gave him a kick, and he let go. In the next minute, the two Shadowchasers had mounted their D-Wheels, and had put the bar a mile behind them as they drove down the Dan Ryan Expressway.

Unfortunately, the Dark Suns weren't giving up. At the one-mile mark, they heard the roar of Harley-Davidsons behind them. They looked behind, and saw at least fifteen bikers on their tail. Their helmets had horns on the sides or fronts, they had leather jackets and gang colors, and they carried nasty weapons; bats, chains, and even battle axes.

"Hey, fellahs!" shouted Nichole. "It was happy hour back there. Angry hour is at the bar down the street."

"You're making them angrier, Nichole…" said Dugan, as he flicked a switch on his dashboard.

Naturally, his D-Wheel was of far better make than any standard Harley-Davidson, and it had come with extras that you can't get at the average dealer. As he hit the switch, a smokescreen shot from the back, covering the bikers in an obscuring cloud.

When the cloud cleared, they found that they had lost all but two of them. And Nichole was dismayed to see that one of the ones still on their tail was the one she had kicked.

The exit for the Stevenson Expressway was coming up…

"We'll split up," said Dugan. "Try to lose them that way!"

"Roger!" said Nichole.

She pulled off the exit, and as they hoped, one of them followed.

The lone Dark Sun following Dugan finally spoke.

"Just you and me now… Major, was it?" he asked. "I guess I should tell you… This is nothing personal…"

It was then that Dugan realized that his pursuer's motorcycle was actually a D-Wheel. He inputted some commands into his console.

"You guys are mercenaries, I take it?" he asked.

_If this guy's Harley isn't stolen, _he thought, _I might be able to get some info on him…_

A profile came up.

_Hmm, Orville Osnick? Now that's a name that would get a guy made fun of a lot as a kid…_

He looked at the accompanying rap sheet.

_Nice guy… Wanted for hate crimes in six states and three teams of Shadowchasers are looking for him. _

"Are you gonna do anything but run like a coward?" asked Orville.

"Look, Orville…" said Dugan.

"Don't call me that!" shouted the thug. "I hate my name, and I'll give you one guess why!

"Call me the name that the other Dark Suns call me… Acamar."

Acamar… Dugan knew that name… He had been a wizard who had lived a century ago, with a talent for astronomy and astrology. But he was a little crazy. He was certain that some stars were living beings, and that when he gazed at them through his telescope, they gazed back in hunger, wanting to consume the world.

He wasn't entirely wrong. Malignant celestial bodies did exist, like the Light of Ruin and Atropus the World Born Dead. But Acamar's paranoia drove him completely mad, and resulted in him being committed to an asylum.

"You do know what happened to him, right?" asked Dugan. "Why name yourself after a madman?"

"Duel me, and I'll show you!" laughed the punk.

"I take it this means you want to Turbo Duel?" asked Dugan.

"Thought you'd never ask," laughed Acamar.

The two D-Wheelers hit a command on their D-Wheels.

"Activating Speed World 2!" they both shouted.

"_Duel mode," _flashed a message on their screens. _"Plotting course for cross-town racetrack… Awaiting approval from central grid…_

"_Approval granted…"_

With this message, the Dan Ryan Expressway underwent a quick and sudden transformation. A whole lane separated itself from the others, and flashing lights gave a warning to drivers.

"_Turbo Duel underway," _said a voice on a loudspeaker, as Dugan and Acamar swerved onto the special lane. _"All traffic must vacate dueling lane." _

**(Dugan: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Acamar: 8,000, SPC: 0)**

"My draw!" laughed Acamar, as he drew his first card.

He stashed the card with the others on his gauntlet.

"I'll defend with a Monster," he said, "and then set two other cards facedown."

Three reversed cards appeared to the front and sides of his D-Wheel. Then they faded from view, but still registered on both the D-Wheels' screens.

"Then I end my turn…"

Dugan made his first draw, as the Speed Counters on both their dashboards went up to 1.

"I summon Scrap Beast!" he shouted, as he threw a card on his console.

A portal opened, and the mechanized Beast leapt out. It started running beside his D-Wheel. (1,600 ATK)

"Attack his Monster!" he shouted. "Junkyard frenzy!"

Scrap Beast growled, and then pounced. Mother Grizzly appeared in front of it, defending. Scrap Beast landed claws-first, and the bear shattered into pixels.

"I use Mother Grizzly's effect!" exclaimed Acamar. "I get to summon a Water Monster with a low Attack Score. So come on out, Jar Turtle!"

Another portal opened, and a large, red turtle flew out, one that was carrying a Jar of Greed on its back. (200 ATK)

_Well that's certainly a new one… _thought Dugan.

"I end MY turn," he said.

Orville drew a new card. He chuckled softly.

"I activate _both_ my Trap Cards!" he exclaimed, as both of his facedown cards spun around.

Dugan raised an eyebrow. Acamar had just activated two copies of the same card: Jar of Greed.

"And when Jar Turtle is on the field when I use Jar of Greed," continued Acamar, "I get to draw an extra card. So I get four draws total!"

He made four draws.

"Next, I summon this handsome fellah… Stygian Street Patrol!"

The portal opened again, and there was another roar of a noisy motorcycle. A Fiend in a horned helmet, driving a motorcycle with a demonic face on the front, drove out, and started cruising beside Acamar's bike. (1,600 ATK)

"I'll move Jar Turtle to Defense Mode…" he continued.

Jar Turtle curled up into a ball. (2,100 DEF)

"…and then you go."

Dugan made a draw. He looked over his cards.

"I play a Speed Spell," he said. "Speed Spell – Angel Baton."

The Spell Card appeared in front of him.

"Now I get to draw two cards…"

He made two draws.

"…so long as I discard one…"

He chose a card from his hand, and then threw it into the discard slot.

"Next, I summon Scrap Worm."

The portal opened again, and a large worm that looked like it had been made from a bundle of telephone wires and utility cords strapped together, with a lamprey-like mouth on the front, appeared. (500 ATK)

"Then, with at least one Scrap on the field, I get to Special Summon Scrap Orthros…"

The portal opened again, and the two-headed version of Scrap Beast leapt out. (1,700 ATK)

"…but I then have to destroy one Scrap Monster."

Scrap Worm shattered into shards.

"And when Scrap Worm is destroyed by the effect of a card with the word 'Scrap' in it, I get to take another Scrap Monster from my Graveyard.

Scrap Hunter, which was the card he discarded with Angel Baton's effect, slipped out of his discard slot. He took it and added it to his hand.

"Now then… My Scrap Orthros attacks Stygian Street Patrol!"

Scrap Orthros howled, and then breathed twin bolts of green fire. The demonic biker wiped out, and his bike exploded.

"It's your move…" said Dugan.

Acamar frowned. He made a draw.

**(D: 8,000, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,900, SPC: 4)**

He quickly set three cards on his dashboard, and three set cards, one in his Monster Zone, and two in his Spell/Trap Zone, appeared.

"Mmm!" he said.

"The strong, silent type, huh?" asked Dugan.

He made a draw. It was Scrap Chimera.

_Better wait to bring out my Dragon, _he thought. _I have a feeling he's setting up for something… And I may want to save its effect for that…_

"Scrap Orthros, the hidden Monster!" he shouted.

Orthros blasted its flames at the concealed Monster. Mystic Tomato appeared on the card and shattered.

The portal opened again, and Sangan leapt out. (1,000 ATK)

_Best get this over with… _thought Dugan.

Scrap Beast leapt at the fiendish critter…

"Trap Card activate!" shouted Acamar, as one of his facedown cards spun around. "Umbra Shield!

"Because you declared an attack on a Dark Monster with only 1,000 Attack Points, this card negates the attack. And I get to draw one card…"

He made a card.

_He's making extra draws, using _two _different Attribute searchers… _thought Dugan. _My guess is, he's looking for an important card in that deck, and once he draws it, it's gonna be trouble…_

"Your move…" he said slowly.

Acamar drew.

He grinned an evil grin that was easy to see, even with his helmet covering his face.

_Think he got it… _thought Dugan.

"First thing I'm gonna do," said Acamar, "is use the effect of Stygian Street Patrol. By removing it from play, I get to Special Summon a Fiend-Type Monster with up to 2,000 Attack Points.

"Think I'll summon _another _Stygian Street Patrol!"

The portal opened, and the fiendish biker drove in front of Acamar. (1,600 ATK)

"Now it's time for my star to show up…" he said. "This is a special card… Only the leader of the Dark Suns is allowed to have it in his deck…"

"You're their leader?" asked Dugan.

"You got it!" laughed Acamar. "I sacrifice Sangan and Jar Turtle!"

The two Monsters turned into orbs of pure darkness.

Then a shadow seemed to cover the whole Expressway…

"What's going on?" asked Dugan, now nervous.

"My Monster likes to make a big entrance," laughed Acamar.

Then it came, a twenty-foot-tall goliath flying down from the sky. It was a diabolic looking creature clad in armor colored black and tarnished gold, if it were possible for gold to tarnish. It was surrounded by an eerie aura that seemed to be both fire and darkness at the same time.

It looked at Dugan with evil, hungry eyes. (3,000 ATK)

"Good lord…" exclaimed Dugan. "That's The Supremacy Sun!"

Dugan had never seen this card in person… The supposed "king" of the Legendary Planets, but he had heard of one or two duelists using it in major tournaments. It was the rarest card in an archetype of Monsters that were all rare to begin with. Most duelists could never dream of obtaining one of the Planets; Jalal had obtained a copy of The Splendid Venus and had given it to his ward, and it was assumed that most duelists would also have to have his influence to get one.

"How the heck did you get a card that rare?" said Dugan. "You can't just walk into a card store and buy The Supremacy Sun!"

"Let's just say we… Acquired it," laughed Acamar. "So I guess now you know why I call myself Acamar… He also had a thing for nasty stars!

"But onto business… I first use Sangan's effect…"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it. He placed it with the other five cards on his hand.

"Now then… Supremacy Sun… Obliterate Scrap Orthros with dark solar flare!"

The Supremacy Sun gestured, and a bolt of pure, burning plasma shot from its fingertips, reducing Scrap Orthros to slag and causing Dugan's D-Wheel to shake.

_I actually felt the heat from that! _he thought. _It's a good thing I'm the one dueling here and not Karl… He would be petrified with fear…_

"I set two cards facedown, and then I'm finished," chuckled Acamar.

Two set cards appeared, and then faded from view.

"Then it's my move!" shouted Dugan.

He made a draw.

**(D: 6,700, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,900, SPC: 7)**

"Come on out, Scrap Chimera!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the portal opened, causing the mythological Scrap to fly out. (1,700 ATK)

"Then I can use its effect to bring Scrap Orthros back to the field."

An orb of light formed in front of him, and the orb formed into Scrap Orthros. (1,700 ATK)

"Now, I Tune Scrap Chimera and Scrap Beast together…"

The two Scraps flew into the sky above the Dan Ryan Expressway and turned into eight glowing stars…

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

Scrap Dragon roared, and flew down, positioning itself over Dugan's bike. (2,800 ATK)

"Humph," said Acamar. "Puff the Magic Dragon was scarier than that."

"Ooh…" said Dugan.

_That _was going a little too far…

He set two cards in his Spell/Trap Zone, and they appeared reversed. Then, one of them shattered, and Scrap Dragon breathed its green flames at the Supremacy Sun. The huge Fiend let out what seemed like a grunt of annoyance before it shattered into pixels.

"Didn't seem that tough to me," said Dugan. "Scrap Orthros, destroy Stygian Street Patrol!"

The Scrap Tuner blasted its breath weapon again, and once again, the Fiend biker crashed in an explosion of flames.

"Scrap Dragon, attack Acamar directly!"

The punk braced himself as Scrap Dragon let out its toxic blaze, striking the front of his bike.

"Ergh…" he said.

"It's your move, pal," said Dugan. "Seems your sun just set."

Then Acamar actually laughed. He drew a card.

**(D: 6,700, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000, SPC: 8)**

"The sun may set, Shadowchaser," he said, "but even when it does, you know that it will rise again the next day…"

He discarded one of his cards, a Double Coston.

Then, in a flash, The Supremacy Sun appeared again, crossing its arms and looking sternly at Dugan. (3,000 ATK)

"HUH?" gasped Dugan.

"That's its effect," said Acamar. "If it's destroyed, I can ditch one card during my next Standby Phase to summon it back to field. And it doesn't matter whether it's destroyed by battle or not."

_Okay, that's a problem… _thought Dugan.

"Now then…" said Acamar.

A Speed Spell appeared in front of him.

"Look familiar? I have an Angel Baton too."

He drew two cards, and then quickly discarded one.

"Now, I'm using the effect of Speed World 2," he continued. "I'll give up seven of my Counters to draw one card."

His bike fell behind Dugan's as he made one draw.

"Perfect!" he said. "I summon Parasite of Power."

The Monster that appeared next was a gaunt, hairless creature with long, rubbery limbs that seemed to be a cross between claws and tentacles. It had sharp teeth and watery eyes. (1,800 ATK)

"Now I activate… Limit Reverse!" he exclaimed, as one of his set cards lifted up. "I'll use it to summon the Monster I just ditched."

A young woman with red hair with white, feathered wings on her back, wearing a witch's costume flew out of the portal riding a flying broomstick. (550 ATK)

"Thanks to my Witch's Apprentice, all Dark Monsters on the field gain 500 more points."

The Supremacy Sun's Attack Score rose to 3,500, Parasite of Power's rose to 2,300, and that of Witch's Apprentice herself rose to 1,050.

"Now, my Sun will attack Scrap Dragon! Dark solar flare!"

The huge Fiend prepared to attack again…

"Not this time!" shouted Dugan, as his Trap Card spun around. "I activate… Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!"

A device appeared in front of Scrap Dragon that looked exactly like what the name implied: A scarecrow made of scrap metal and old junk, topped with an old helmet with goggles. The dark solar flare hit it, and bounced off.

"And due to Scrap-Iron Scarecrow's effect," continued Dugan, "after I trigger it, I can set it back on the field."

The Trap Card returned to set position, and then faded from view again.

Acamar chuckled again.

"You protected your big guy," he said, "but your Scrap Orthros is still in serious trouble…"

Parasite of Power reached out with a long, stretchy tentacle, and grappled Scrap Orthros with it, crushing the Tuner like tinfoil.

"I'll set two more cards," he said, as two facedown cards appeared, "and that will be my turn."

The cards faded from view.

"My move!" shouted Dugan, making a draw.

**(D: 6,100, SPC: 9) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000, SPC: 2)**

"You forget one thing…" he said. "I can also use the effect of Speed World 2…"

His Speed Counters fell down to 2 as he made a draw.

_So, that thing can revive itself if I destroy it? _he thought. _"No problem…"_

He set a card on his Disk, and a card appeared in his Spell/Trap Zone.

"I summon the Tuner Monster, Scrap Mind Reader!" he exclaimed.

He played another card, and with a series of beeps and clicks, a cute robot emerged from the portal. Like the other Scraps, it was made from junk and scrap metal, had an old phone for its right hand and a hair dryer for the left. (0 ATK)

"How cute!" laughed Acamar.

"It may be friendly," said Dugan, "but with Scrap Dragon's help, it will summon something that isn't friendly at all…

"Scrap Mind Reader, Tune yourself with Scrap Dragon!"

The two Scraps flew into the sky, the small Scrap turning into one glowing star, the much bigger one turning into eight.

"_Mighty engines rebuilt out of refuse and recycled material, form a being that can rule as king over the junkyard that spawned it!"_

**(*1 + *8 = *9)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Twin Dragon!"_

With a double roar, Scrap Twin Dragon descended upon the field. (3,000 ATK)

"If destroying your Monster will just let you bring it back," said Dugan, "I'll have to resort to other means to get rid of it. I'll use Scrap Twin Dragon's effect, and destroy one of my cards…

His set Trap Card shattered.

"…and send The Supremacy Sun and Parasite of Power back to your hand!"

Acamar growled as the two Monsters vanished, and reappeared on his gauntlet.

"Attack Witch's Apprentice!" shouted Dugan. "Toxic hurricane!"

Scrap Twin Dragon breathed an even more intense cloud of green flames, incinerating the Spellcaster.

"I move to my second Main Phase," said Dugan, "and activate Scrap Mind Reader's effect, which lets me Special Summon it to the field."

Scrap Mind Reader appeared again, covering itself with its arms. (0 DEF)

"It's your move," said Dugan. "If you want to bring back your ace Monster, you're going to have to go through the process of Normal Summoning it again."

"Easier done than said," laughed Acamar.

"Huh?" said Dugan.

Acamar made a draw. He chuckled again.

**(D: 6,100, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 3,050, SPC: 3)**

Then one of his facedown cards spun around.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he laughed. "I'll bring Double Coston back from the Graveyard!"

Two small globs of darkness with faces on them, connected by a cord of necrotic energy, appeared in front of him. (1,700 ATK)

"Oh no…" said Dugan. "That Monster counts as two Monsters if sacrificed to summon a Dark Monster."

"You got it!" laughed Acamar, as Double Coston vanished.

The sky darkened even more, and The Supremacy sun appeared again, now burning with absolute fury. (3,000 ATK)

"But wait, there's more!" continued Acamar, as another of his facedown cards spun around.

"Graceful Revival?" gasped Dugan, as Witch's Apprentice appeared again. (550 ATK) –) (1,050 ATK)

"I know that there's an ongoing debate on which is better," replied Acamar, "this card or Limit Reverse. I say, why not use both?

"And I'm still not done! I remove my second Stygian Street Patrol from play to Special Summon Parasite of Power again!"

The rubbery Fiend appeared once again. (1,800 ATK) –) (2,300 ATK)

"So you see… You're back where you started! Supremacy Sun… Destroy his Dragon!"

The titan prepared to fire its dark solar flare again…

"Did you forget I had _this?" _asked Dugan, as Scrap-Iron Scarecrow activated again.

"No, I didn't," chuckled Acamar. "And this time, I'm prepared…"

His last Trap Card activated.

"…with the Counter Trap, Overwhelm! Because I have a high-Level Monster that was Tribute Summoned, this can negate either a Trap Card or a Monster effect."

Then Scrap-Iron Scarecrow burst into pixels.

_Boy, this guy's good… _thought Dugan.

The dark solar flare shot forward, shooting clean through Scrap Twin Dragon, and blowing it to its component scrap metal.

"I use Scrap Twin Dragon's effect!" shouted Dugan.

Scrap Beast appeared in Defense Mode. (1,300 DEF)

"Delays, delays…" said Acamar.

Parasite of Power stretched out with its arm, and crushed Scrap Beast. Then Witch's Apprentice cast a powerful hex, blowing Scrap Mind Reader to shards.

"No Monsters left," chuckled Acamar. "What are you gonna do now?"

Dugan paused.

_No choice left… _he thought. _Ben thought that Scrap Twin Dragon was my strongest Monster…_

_But I have one that's even stronger… And to defeat this thing, I'm going to have to bring it out._

"I'm going to draw," he finally said.

And so he did.

**(D: 5,600, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 3,050, SPC: 4)**

Dugan quickly threw four cards onto his console, and four set cards, one of them in his Monster Zone and the rest in his Spell/Trap Zone, appeared.

"Your move," he said.

"You don't fool me," chuckled Acamar. "That Monster is nothing more than Scrap Hunter."

He drew a card.

"I'm taking you down! Witch's Apprentice, you first! Destroy Scrap Hunter!"

The Spellcaster cast her dark whammy, and Scrap Hunter – because that was indeed what it was – was blown into broken metal.

"Now, Parasite of Power!" shouted Acamar.

The ugly thing leapt at Dugan, and slammed its tentacled claws into him. Dugan cringed again.

**(D: 3,400, SPC: 5) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 3,050, SPC: 5)**

"Now to finish you off!" cackled the punk. "Destroy him, Supremacy Sun! Show him he isn't worthy to lick your feet!"

The Supremacy Sun roared, and lifted its arms to the heavens… It conjured up a huge ball of fire…

"I hate to interrupt a mad-with-power trip…" said Dugan.

One of his facedown cards spun around.

"…but I'm not finished yet! I activate Shock Reborn!

"This Trap Card cuts the damage from your attack in half!"

The huge ball of fire slammed into him. He grunted in pain, and his D-Wheel wobbled, but he maintained control of it.

"Shock Reborn also allows me to Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard, so long as its Attack Score isn't greater than the amount of damage I took."

Scrap Worm appeared in front of him. (500 ATK)

**(D: 1,650, SPC: 5) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 3,050, SPC: 5)**

"Please…" said Acamar. "You're standing up to my best Monster with your weakest?

"Face it, Shadowchaser… You guys may have defeated giants and dragons and tentacled psychic brain-eaters, but you cannot defeat the almighty power of the Sun!"

Dugan glared at him with a dirty look.

"Uh… what?" said Acamar.

"That thing is not the Sun," growled Dugan. "The Sun is a benign entity that shines down on our world, granting us light and warmth. It is the source and sustainer of all life.

"That Monster you're using may be powerful, but it is not light and warmth. It is Dark… It is cold entropy. Plus, it is a Fiend, not a source of life, but an engine of destruction. The only life it can sustain is its own.

"Have you even noticed that its mere presence has seemed to make the true Sun refuse to shine? It's been hidden behind clouds since you summoned that beast, as if too ashamed to show its face with that imposter around.

"Well, I will defeat it… I will convince the real Sun to come out again…"

"We'll see about that…" said Acamar. "I play a facedown…"

A reversed card appeared in his Spell/Trap Zone.

"And I activate this one!" shouted Dugan, as another of his Trap Cards spun around. "Shock Draw! I get to draw one card for every 1,000 points of damage I took that round!"

"But that means…" said Acamar.

"That's right," said Dugan. "Four draws!"

He drew four times.

"And now, it's my move…"

He made a sixth draw.

"I activate a Trap!" shouted Acamar, as his facedown card spun around. "Crevice into the Different Dimension!

"I get to name an Attribute, and remove two Monsters of that Attribute in either Graveyard from play. So I'll name Earth, and remove Scrap Dragon and Scrap Twin Dragon from play."

Dugan ignored him entirely as he played a new card.

"You were right," he said. "Why choose between Limit Reverse and Graceful Revival? Trap Eater loves to eat them both."

"HUH?" said Acamar. "Trap Eater?"

A Fiend that looked like it was half-mouth with beady eyes appeared in front of Dugan's bike. It flew over to the Graceful Revival card and swallowed it in one gulp. (1,900 ATK)

"Oh no…" said Acamar. "With that gone…"

"Witch's Apprentice goes as well," said Dugan.

The Spellcaster shattered into pixels. Both of Acamar's other Monsters fell to their base Attack Scores.

"Next, I sacrifice Trap Eater," continued Dugan.

The Fiend turned into an orb of light.

"…for Scrap Golem!"

The clunky, bulky robot flew out of the portal, its optic sensors flashing. (2,300 ATK)

"Next, I use its effect to Special Summon Scrap Hunter from my Graveyard."

With a whir, the armed robot on tank treads appeared. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together Scrap Worm, Scrap Hunter, and Scrap Golem…"

The three Scraps flew into the sky, and lightning flashed… They formed into _ten _glowing stars this time…

"_Recycled and rebuilt countless times, the Scraps finally form the epitome of Scrap power in the mightiest of their kind…"_

**(*2 + *3 + *5 = *10)**

"_Synchro Summon… Atomic Scrap Dragon!"_

With a bellowing roar that seemed to shake the whole highway, the biggest Scrap of all appeared, this one looking like Scrap Twin Dragon, except that it had _three _heads and a glowing core in its center. (3,200 ATK)

"Uh… Okay…" said Acamar. "So this one has _three _heads…"

"Destroy The Supremacy Sun!" shouted Dugan. "Genocide stream!"

Atomic Scrap Dragon shot three beam of burning energy from its three jaws, striking The Supremacy Sun. For the first time, the huge Fiend clearly felt pain. It howled before exploding into shards.

"Not a very fast learner, are you?" asked Acamar.

"Oh, I'm a _very _fast learner," said Dugan. "I'm using Atomic Scrap Dragon's effect. By destroying my set card…"

His facedown Trap Card shattered.

"…I get to choose two cards in your Graveyard, and send them back to your deck. The deck is then reshuffled."

"WHAT?" shouted Acamar.

"I choose The Supremacy Sun and Double Coston," said Dugan. "Seems you won't be summoning it next round unless you happen to have Yukai Judai's luck when it comes to drawing.

"And with that… I end my turn…"

**(D: 1,650, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 2,850, SPC: 6)**

Acamar was beside himself in anger. He drew a card.

Then he grinned.

_Hey… _he thought.

He took it and another card from his hand, and threw both on his console. Two facedown cards appeared behind Parasite of Power.

"I end my turn," he said smugly.

Dugan made a draw.

"Trap Card, activate!" shouted Acamar. "Compulsory Evacuation Device!"

Atomic Scrap Dragon roared, as a set of chains grabbed it.

"Goodbye, ugly!" laughed Acamar.

There was a shot like a cannon, and the huge Synchro was propelled backwards, vanishing as it did.

_Heh, heh, _thought the punk. _He's obviously gonna try to smash my Parasite, and he doesn't even know what it can do._

_Then on my turn, I can activate my other Trap, Forge of Hephaestus. I'll get to take the Monster from my deck with the highest Attack Score… So will he, but I'll be able to summon mine first…_

He looked at the last card in his hand.

_And with eight Speed Counters, my Speed Spell – Final Attack will bring this to a close. He can't possibly…_

"I play Speed Spell – Dead Synchron!" shouted Dugan.

Acamar looked up, his train of thought interrupted, to see Dugan playing a Speed Spell he had never heard of.

"What does that do?" he asked.

"Tunes Monster together," said Dugan. "In my Graveyard… By removing them from play."

Scrap Beast and Scrap Hunter appeared behind him.

"So, I'll Tune together these two for one more Synchro Summon…"

The two Scraps flew into the sky…

"_Deep within the junkyard, an ominous portal to the Underworld opens! Soul of a demon, body of debris and cast-iron, rise from the infernal pits below!"_

**(*4 + *3 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Archfiend!"_

The robotic version of Summoned Skull flew onto the field, its eyes glowing red. (2,700 ATK)

"Next, I summon Scrap Shark!"

Some ominous music started to play, and a very large creature flew out of a portal, seemingly swimming in mid-air. It was a huge shark made of cast-iron and other junk, with submarine propellers where its fins would be. (2,100 ATK)

Acamar said a word that cannot be printed. Having been in the Marines, Dugan ignored it. He had heard worse.

"Scrap Shark…" ordered Dugan, "destroy his Parasite of Power! Torpedoes away!"

The junkyard shark opened its maw and launched two torpedoes at the ugly Fiend. Parasite of Power screamed as an explosion consumed it.

As the dust cleared, two small, nasty creatures, vicious-little things with sharp teeth claws, and long tails, were flying in front of Acamar's bike. (0 ATK x2)

"I thought so," said Dugan. "When Parasite of Power is destroyed, it summons two Parasite Tokens… But they must be in Attack Mode. You were counting on me destroying it… But you didn't count on me summoning two Monsters.

"Of course, since the effect of a card has been enacted, Scrap Shark is destroyed…"

Scrap Shark shattered into pixels.

"…but it doesn't really matter…

"Attack the Parasite Token! Blazing bolts!"

Scrap Archfiend shot its beams of energy from its eyes, and Acamar screamed and swerved as the Parasite Token was eradicated…

**(D: 500, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0, SPC: 0)**

Dugan pulled to a stop. He got off his D-Wheel, and removed his helmet.

He felt warmth on his face. He looked up, shielding his eyes as he did. As he'd hoped, the true Sun had emerged from behind the clouds.

Dugan sighed, and looked at the stunned biker.

_He has enough outstanding warrants for me to take him in, _he thought.

Dugan took the punk's deck. He leafed through it until he found The Supremacy Sun.

_But this card… It's priceless… And I doubt that this guy "acquired" it via legal means… I can't help but shake the feeling that its rightful owner was the victim of one of the hate crimes he was involved in…_

_I have to impound this deck anyway… We'll search though the dockets of the cities he's been seen in, and see if anyone has reported this stolen…_

_If no-one has… We may just have to give it back to him…_

_I wonder how Nichole is doing?_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Going back about an hour, Ben had gained the courage to dial the number on the business card that Willy had given him.

Sure this guy was a wizard… Sure he belonged to a group that had controversial ideas… But if he truly could unravel the secret of this Duel Disk…

The phone rang three times before someone answered it.

"Uh, hi," said Ben, "I'm… I'm looking for a Kesto Brighteyes?

"Oh, you are? Well, look… Uhm…A gnome named Willy Sourdough gave me this number and…

"Oh, you already spoke to him? Huh…"

He listened.

"Well, I guess I could come now, if you have some way of getting me there… I'm really not doing anything important…

"Okay, one second…"

He picked up a pen and a notepad.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – ANGEL BATON (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **An angelic figure holding out her hands, with a glowing bead floating between them.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Draw 2 cards. Then, discard 1 card from your hand.

_Note: "Speed Spell – Angel Baton" has been used by Yusei in many episodes of "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's", originally in the 2008 Jump Fiesta episode. __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – FINAL ATTACK (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **B.E.S. Tetran orbiting a planet, surrounded by several Gradius, glowing with fiery energy.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 8 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 face-up Monster you control. Double its ATK. The selected Monster may not attack directly this turn, and is destroyed at the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Speed Spell – Final Attack" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Fortune Cup Finale (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – DEAD SYNCHRON (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Fabled Valkyrus rising out of the ground with eight golden stars spinning over him.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 5 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 Synchro Monster in your Extra Deck. Remove from play the Monsters in your Graveyard required for a Synchro Summon of the selected Monster and Special Summon it. (This is considered a Synchro Summon.) Remove the selected Monster from play at the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Speed Spell – Dead Synchron" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "The Race to Escape (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FORGE OF HEPHAESTUS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **The god Hephaestus (a bearded, muscular, misshapen blacksmith) pounding a magnificent sword into shape on an anvil.

**Card Description: **Both players take the Monster with the highest base ATK from their decks and add them to their respective hands.

_Note: "Forge of Hephaestus" first appeared in "The Thousand Year Door"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**UMBRA SHIELD (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A Winged Minion crouching on a blasted desert wasteland below an eclipsed sun.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when your opponent declares an Attack against a face-up DARK Monster you control that has 1,000 Attack Points or fewer. Negate the attack and draw 1 card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PARASITE OF POWER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Tributed. When this card is destroyed by battle, Special Summon 2 "Parasite Tokens" (Fiend/Dark/LV1/0 ATK/0 DEF) to the controller's side of the field in Attack Position. "Parasite Tokens" cannot be Tributed except for a Tribute Summon.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: Karl is the sci-fi buff in this group, but I have watched some classics, like the **_**Star Wars **_**movies. Possibly the most quotable character in Star Wars was the Jedi Master Yoda, who said things like "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."**_

_**If that's true, the guy who seems dead set on running me down must have had a **_**lot **_**of fear in his early life, because his anger level is through the roof. Maybe there actually is some deep wisdom in what Yoda said. Fear and anger lead people to join hate groups like the Dark Suns, who only cause suffering. **_

"_**Deck of Rage; Down the Wrong Path" is coming soon.**_

_**Turbo Duel, Acceleration!**_


	15. Deck of Rage, Down the Wrong Path

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Deck of Rage**

**Down the Wrong Path**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As Dugan's duel with Acamar was beginning, Nichole was leading her pursuer on a chase down the Stevenson Expressway.

"You think you could just insult me an' get away with it, babe?" he shouted. "When I was a kid, folks called me names all the time.

"Well, now that I'm big an' strong, no-one calls me names any more. An' you ain't gonna either!"

_Who is this loudmouth? _thought Nichole, as she brought up the same program on her own computer that Dugan had used to identify Acamar.

A mug shot came up, showing his name to be Martin Plumb. Not a pretty picture. This guy had clearly gotten into a brutal fight before being arrested that day.

_Man, look at this rap sheet! _thought Nichole. _Assault, assault and battery, aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with intent to kill… And resisting arrest at least eight times. Who let this guy back on the street? _

"Are you even listening to me?" shouted Martin. "No-one's gonna make fun of me anymore!"

"Oh, I'm not, am I ugly?" asked Nichole. "And speaking of ugly, have you looked in a reflective surface lately? I'll bet when you were born, the doctor slapped your mother."

That made Martin even angrier, which was just what Nichole had wanted. When someone got mad, he got careless.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ say things like that about my mother again you little slut!" he shouted.

Nichole started to sweat… Maybe he was a little _too _angry now…

"That does it!" shouted Martin. "Since I won't hit a girl, seein' as I got some scruples, you an' I are gonna Turbo Duel. That's one way I can make you feel sorry…"

Nicole almost laughed.

"Well…" she said. "Why didn't you say so?"

They both hit a command on their dashboard.

"Speed World 2 activated!" they exclaimed.

"_Duel mode," _said Nichole's computer. _"Plotting course for cross-town racetrack… Awaiting approval from central grid…_

"_Approval granted…"_

Then the Stevenson Expressway underwent the same rapid transformation that the Dan Ryan Expressway did, a lane isolating itself from the others, with warning light alerting the rest of the traffic.

"_Turbo Duel underway," _said the loudspeaker, as Nichole and Martin sped onto the dueling lane. _"All traffic must vacate dueling lane." _

**(Nichole: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Martin: 8,000, SPC: 0)**

"I'll start things off," said Martin, making his first draw.

_Talk about rude, _thought Nichole.

"I'm throwing out my Enraged Battle Ox!" shouted Martin.

The portal opened behind him, and a familiar Beast-Warrior leapt out; a minotaur dressed in red armor, holding a nasty axe. (1,700 ATK)

"I'll end with this," he said, as a facedown card appeared behind the Monster.

Nichole drew a card, as both Speed Counters clicked up a notch.

"I'm bringing out Amazoness Swords Woman!" she exclaimed.

The portal opened again, this time behind her, and Swords Woman emerged, flying beside her bike. (1,500 ATK)

"Don't bother explaining her effect," growled Martin. "I already know, and I really don't care. It's not gonna help you."

_Boy, and people say _I'm _not friendly! _thought Nichole.

She set two cards, and two facedown cards appeared behind Swords Woman. Swords Woman glanced to the side at Enraged Battle Ox, with an "I dare you" look.

"I end my turn," said Nichole.

"That bimbo is asking for it," growled Martin, as he made a draw, "and I'll gladly oblige! First I draw, then I attack!

"Axe crash!"

Enraged Battle Ox made a 180, and slammed his axe into the Warrior woman. Swords Woman shattered and her sword spiraled through the air, hitting Martin. He grunted.

"You activated my Trap!" shouted Nichole.

One of her facedown cards spun around.

"Pride of Tribe! Since one of my Amazons was destroyed, another one comes to the field."

The portal opened again, and Amazoness Paladin flew out. (1,700 ATK) – (1,800 ATK)

"I was hoping you'd do that," growled Martin, "because that triggers MY Trap Card."

His facedown card spun around.

"It's called Triggered Summon. Since you Special Summoned a Monster, we both are allowed to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower one from our hands."

"Well in that case…" said Nichole, as she looked at her hand. "I'll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode."

Fighter flew out of the portal, and formed a fighting stance. (1,500 ATK) Paladin's Attack Score rose to 1,900.

"And I will summon Giant Rat in Defense Mode," said Martin.

Giant Rat appeared, shielding itself with its front paws. (1,450 DEF)

"I'll set another card facedown, and end my turn."

Another reversed card appeared, and then faded from view.

**(N: 8,000, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,800, SPC: 2)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At that moment, on the South Side…

Ben didn't have a watch, but fortunately, the time was being shown on a screen over a deli down the street. He was waiting by a public phone, which he had checked a minute ago – it was broken. Still, Kesto had said that at 12:30, he would contact him here.

He was startled as the phone rang. He cautiously picked up the receiver.

"How did you…" he said.

"…get the phone to work?" replied the cheery voice on the other end. "There are always ways of doing things, my boy.

"Now listen closely… Do you see the parking lot across the street?"

"Uh, yeah…" said Ben.

"Walk towards there," replied the voice.

"For how long?" asked Ben.

"You'll know when you get there," said the voice. "See you soon."

Ben hung up, and slowly started to walk towards the parking lot…

As he did, a glowing portal of scintillating colors started to appear. Ben stopped short.

He slowly approached the portal as it grew to full size…

"Well, here goes…" he said.

He walked into the portal.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nichole made a draw.

"I summon Amazoness Chain Master," she said.

The portal opened again, and Chain Master flew out alongside the other two Amazons. Paladin's Attack Score rose to 2,000.

"Paladin, slay his Enraged Battle Ox!" she shouted. "Divine blade of the Amazons!"

Paladin flew at the angry Beast-Warrior, and with one swipe of her blade, cleaved it in half.

"All right Fighter, smash that Rat!"

Fighter leapt at Giant Rat, and with one punch, squashed it flat.

"I use Giant Rat's effect!" shouted Martin. "I summon to the field Gyaku-Gire Panda!"

With a flash of light, a large panda holding a bamboo stick appeared in front of the three Amazons. (800 ATK)

"And now I use its effect… For every Monster you have, it gains 500 Attack Points!"

Gyaku-Gire Panda roared, and grew to twice its size. (2,300 ATK)

"That's bad…" said Nichole, nervously. "Uh… Your move…"

"I draw…" said Martin, making a draw.

**(N: 8,000, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,500, SPC: 4)**

"And now I play… Speed Spell – Explosion!" he shouted, as a Speed Spell appeared in front of him. "I destroy my set Trap Card, and…"

The set Trap shattered, and an explosion rocked the area. The three Amazons struggled to keep standing. Paladin wasn't able to. She fell on her rump, into Defense Mode. (300 ATK)

"Now my Panda is gonna put some serious hurt on your Paladin!" shouted Martin.

Gyaku-Gire Panda roared, and clobbered Paladin with its stick. Nichole seethed in pain as Paladin shattered, and the Beast's trampling effect stabbed into her.

Gyaku-Gire Panda fell to an Attack Score of 1,800.

"I set a facedown, and then you go," muttered Martin, as a reversed card appeared in front of his bike.

Nichole drew a card. She looked at it.

**(N: 6,000, SPC: 5) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,500, SPC: 5)**

_I'm beginning to get the picture here… _she thought. _Anger is the whole theme of his deck! He must actually _like _being angry. _

_This guy has serious issues…_

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn," she said, as a card appeared in her Spell/Trap Zone.

_Humph, _thought Martin, as he made a draw. _She probably didn't move Chain Master to Defense Mode because she knew that would make it worse…_

"Gyaku-Gire Panda, maul her Chain Master!" he shouted.

The Panda roared, and lunged at the Amazon…

"Gotcha…" said Nichole with a grin.

Her facedown card spun around.

"Go, Kunai With Chain!"

Chain Master's weapon turned into a much nastier bladed grapple, and her Attack Score rose to 2,000. She hurled the weapon, entangling the infuriated Beast. Then she gave it a kick, and it shattered into pixels.

"Why, you!" shouted Martin. "Now I'm _really _mad!"

He slapped a card on his console, and a set Monster appeared in front of him.

"Make your move…"

Nichole quickly made a draw.

**(N: 6,000, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,300, SPC: 6)**

"I summon a second Amazoness Fighter," she said.

Another of the ripped Amazons materialized next to the first. (1,500 ATK)

"Fighter number one, crush his Monster!"

Fighter rushed at the facedown card. A Beast that Nichole at first mistook for Nimble Momonga appeared on the card, and was crushed.

Then she was surprised as she felt a pain in her chest, and two more of the flying squirrels appeared – in Attack Mode. (800 ATK x2)

She looked at them. They looked darker and far more sinister than Nimble Momonga.

"What are they?" she asked.

"Nimble Musasabi," replied Martin. "A relative of the Nimble Momonga. Instead of healing me, these little guys do 500 points of damage to you when they're destroyed."

Nichole raised an eyebrow.

_This isn't gonna be pleasant, _she thought, _but…_

"Fighter number two, Chain Master," she said, "wipe them out!"

Chain Master swung her Kunai at the second Musasabi, and the second Fighter punched the third one. Nichole held her chest in pain, but Martin just seemed to get angrier.

"My turn is over," she said.

Martin snatched the next card off his deck.

**(N: 4,500, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,400, SPC: 7)**

"First, I set a facedown card," he said, as a card appeared in his Spell/Trap Zone. "Then I summon Maji-Gire Panda."

Another incredibly angry panda emerged from the portal in front of his bike. Nichole had honestly never heard of this particular Beast. (1,000 ATK)

"Now, my Call of the Haunted activates," continued Martin, the Trap Card he had set previously spun around, "and Giant Rat comes back."

Giant Rat appeared again. (1,400 ATK)

"Now then…" he said, "Giant Rat, attack Amazoness Fighter."

Nichole was surprised as Giant Rat leapt towards Fighter, only to be punched and blown to bits.

Then another Giant Rat appeared. (1,400 ATK) Martin pointed, and it charged at Fighter too. It too was destroyed.

Nichole was shocked when a third Giant Rat appeared, and Martin did the exact same thing.

"What…" she started.

"I'm not done!" snarled Martin. "I'll use my third Giant Rat's effect to Special Summon my Hyena."

The portal opened again, and a Monster appeared that… Well, like its name implied, it was a hyena. (1,000 ATK)

"Now, my Hyena will attack your Fighter too!"

Nichole was confused beyond belief, as Hyena leapt at Fighter, and was flattened by her punch.

"And when Hyena bites the dust in battle," said Martin, "I get to bring out two more Hyenas from my deck."

Two more of the Beasts appeared, and they seemed ready to attack as well. (1,000 ATK x2)

"And are you going to send them to their doom too?" asked Nichole.

Martin answered the question as he pointed, and the two Hyenas pounced. Fighter made two roundhouse kicks, blowing them to shards.

**(N: 4,500, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,600, SPC: 7)**

"May I ask why you ordered six Monsters to their deaths?" asked Nichole, who was getting angry herself.

_I'd turn him in for cruelty to animals if I could, _she thought.

"Take a look at my Maji-Gire Panda…" said Martin, with a grin.

Nichole turned her head in shock. Maji-Gire Panda, whom she had almost forgotten about, was now three times its original size, and at the height of its fury. (4,000 ATK)

"Every time a Beast-Type Monster is destroyed," said Martin, "this big guy gains 500 Attack Points, and because it's still my Battle Phase…

"Maji-Gire Panda, pound her Chain Master to pieces."

Maji-Gire Panda roared a ferocious bellow, and brought its paw down on Chain Master, smashing her flat. The impact tore through Nichole, and she struggled to control her D-Wheel.

Nichole looked at her opponent, who now had only one card left in his hand.

_Best not risk using Chain Master's effect… _she thought.

"You're going down in flames, bitch," said Martin, "My turn is over."

Nichole took some deep breaths, and she made a draw.

**(N: 2,000, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,600, SPC: 8)**

"All right, Mr. Needs Deep Therapy," she said. "I'm using a Speed Spell…"

The Spell Card appeared in front of her.

"High Speed Crash!" she shouted. "It sends one of my Monsters crashing into one of yours!"

Amazoness Fighter glowed with fiery energy. She leapt at Maji-Gire Panda and made a tackle… Then an explosion incinerated both Monsters.

"Ergh…" said Martin.

"Now, my other Fighter is gonna attack _you!" _continued Nichole.

Fighter charged at Martin's bike.

"I activate… Shadow Spell!" shouted Martin, as his facedown card spun around.

A mass of chains shot at Fighter…

"Close, but no cigar, punk," said Nichole.

Her own facedown card lifted up.

"I play Dramatic Rescue! This rescues my Amazon by returning her to my hand…"

Fighter vanished into grains of light. The chains fell with a clatter and vanished.

"…so long as I Special Summon another Monster _from _my hand. Say hello to Amazoness Acrobat!"

A new Amazon leapt out in front of her. She was another teenage member of the tribe, with long, brown hair and a slender frame, wearing a brown fur bikini top and loincloth, carrying a simple wooden bo staff. (1,100 ATK)

"Acrobat, attack him directly!" shouted Nichole. "Acrobatic leapt!"

Acrobat did a flip, and brought her feet down on the front of Martin's bike. The thug howled in rage.

"Now that I've done that," continued Nichole, "I'm using the effect of Speed World 2, and spending 7 of my Counters to draw one card…"

She fell behind Martin as she decelerated, and she made a draw.

She looked at the three cards in her hand: Amazoness Fighter and two Trap Cards.

She took both the Trap Cards, and set them on her console. They appeared in front of her, and then faded from view.

"I end my turn," she said.

"All right, now I'm mad as the devil…" said Martin, as he made a draw.

**(N: 2,000, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 2,500, SPC: 9)**

"Heh… But I'm not quite as mad as _this _guy! I summon Berserk Gorilla!"

The portal opened again, and a very angry gorilla with red fur emerged. It roared, and beat its chest in rage. (2,000 ATK)

"Why did I just _know _that guy was in your deck?" asked Nichole.

"Attack her Amazoness Acrobat!" shouted Martin, ignoring the wisecrack. "Primal rage!"

Acrobat screamed as the mad primate made a rush for her and slugged her with its fist. She shattered into a thousand shards.

"Ergh…" said Nichole.

Martin set his last card on his console, and a facedown card appeared before fading from view.

_My Beast Soul Swap is set, _he thought. _On my next turn, Berserk Gorilla will be able to attack not once, but a second time as well, once I return it to my hand and resummon it. _

_Even better, I'll have ten Speed Counters, so I'll be able to destroy any defense she puts up!_

"Your move," she said.

Nichole made a draw.

**(N: 1,100, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 2,500, SPC: 10)**

One of her facedown cards spun around.

"Go, Call of the Haunted!" she shouted.

Amazoness Acrobat leapt onto the field again. (1,100 ATK)

"Huh?" said Martin. "Of all the gals you could have brought back…"

"She's a Tuner," replied Nichole.

Martin stopped short.

"Oh…" he said, now very nervous.

Nichole played a card, and Amazoness Fighter reappeared. (1,500 ATK)

"All right!" she shouted. "Acrobat, Tune yourself with Fighter!"

The two Amazons flew into the sky above the Stevenson Expressway. Both of them faded into four glowing stars apiece.

"_Spiritual leader who can commune with the spirits of your deceased sisters… Come to raise the restless spirits to join you in battle!"_

**(4 + 4 = 8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Amazoness Totemist!"_

Tribal drums started to play, and a frightening-looking Amazon flew down from the sky. She had long, straight, black hair, and her black fur bikini top (possibly a panther skin) was held in place by a brooch set with a blood-red ruby. Her face was covered with white makeup, which in turn was covered with designs drawn on with black war paint. She held a spear tipped with a bone point, decorated by feathers. (2,400 ATK)

"Ooh…" moaned Martin. "My Gorilla has had it!"

"And so have you," said Nichole. "Because when Totemist is Synchro Summoned, I get to bring back an Amazoness from my Graveyard."

Amazoness Totemist chanted an incantation in a primitive language, strange sigils appeared in the air, and a ghostly version of Amazoness Swords Woman appeared beside her. There was a flash of light, and she turned to flesh and bone. (1,500 ATK)

"Totemist, attack that Berserk Gorilla!" shouted Nichole.

Totemist rushed at the angry ape, and plunged her spear into its torso. Berserk Gorilla roared, and shattered into shards.

Nichole's last Trap Card spun around.

"Now I activate… Queen's Pawn!" she exclaimed. "Since my Amazon deep-sixed your Monster, I get to Special Summon another Amazon from my deck."

The portal opened again, and Amazoness Trainee emerged. (1,500 ATK)

"Wait… Wait a minute!" shouted Martin.

"Ladies…" said Nichole. "Get 'im…"

Martin screamed as Sword Woman's sword and Trainee's grapple slammed into his bike. He screeched to a halt, and pulled to a stop.

**(N: 1,100, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0, SPC: 0)**

Steam poured out of Martin's engine, and he hit his head against his console as Nichole walked up to him.

"As a wise man once said," said Nichole, "either learn to master your anger, or anger will be your master…"

Martin was beside himself with anger. He reached into his jacket pocket with his right hand, where he kept a set of brass knuckles.

"That did it!" he shouted. "I don't care if you're a lady anymore!"

He lunged at Nichole, intending to sock her hard in the jaw…

Unfortunately for him, Nichole had been expecting that. A punch to _his _jaw from her fist sent him to the floor before he ever reached her.

Nichole looked at the unconscious thug, and shook her head…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ben found himself in the strangest bookstore he had ever seen. Shelves of books formed a virtual maze from the floor to the ceiling.

He casually glanced at some of the titles, and found that with many, they were in alphabets he didn't recognize, let alone languages. Clearly, these were books that had been out of print for years, if not centuries, and many dealt with subjects that Mundane humans did not make a habit of researching.

"Over here, my friend, over here," said the same cheery voice that he had heard over the phone.

Ben followed the voice, passing between two large bookshelves, and found his host – he assumed – setting a tea service on a table in a large open area of the shop. He was another gnome, one who looked, if anything, even older than Willy, wearing old-fashioned spectacles, a blue smoking jacket, and old-fashioned wooden sandals.

"Kesto Brighteyes, I assume?" asked Ben, looking at the strange person.

"That's me," replied the gnome. "Welcome to the Parted Veil…

"Care for some sarsaparilla tea, my good man? We can talk about this problem you came for… I believe a Duel Disk…

"That one, I assume?"

He pointed at the Disk on Ben's arm.

"Uhm, yes…" said Ben, as he sat down.

_Well, he seems pretty friendly, _thought Ben. _I just hope he can shed some light on this thing…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PRIDE OF TRIBE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Amazoness Swords Woman striking a pose on the peak of a hill in front of the full moon.

**Card Description: **Activate when an "Amazoness" Monster you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Amazoness" Monster from your deck.

_Note: "Pride of Tribe" was first used by Tania in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Duel Distractions (Part 1)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – HIGH SPEED CRASH (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A Formula One racing car speeding past another that is erupting in flames.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Destroy 1 card you control to destroy 1 other card on the field.

_Note: "Speed Spell – High Speed Crash" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "French Twist (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – EXPLOSION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **An explosion erupting out of a Duel Monsters card, with Key Mace, Key Mace #2, and Shining Friendship being propelled from it.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select and destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card you control (other than this one). Then, change the Battle Position of one face-up Monster on the field.

_Note: "Speed Spell - Explosion" was first used by the Taro in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode #121. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AMAZONESS ACROBAT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,100  
**DEF:** 900

**Card Description: **If you control a face-up Monster, you cannot Normal Summon this card. When you control at least one "Amazoness" Monster besides "Amazoness Acrobat", this card can attack directly.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AMAZONESS TOTEMIST (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "Amazoness" Monsters_

When this card is Synchro Summoned, you may Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Amazoness" Monster from your Graveyard. The Monster Special Summoned by this effect cannot be Tributed for a Tribute Summon and cannot be used for a Synchro Summon.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Karl: It seems the dead won't stay in their graves nowadays. Another notorious duelist from the past, one whom the King of Games himself bested, is apparently the one behind the strange happenings on Lake Shore Drive.**_

_**I'm now entering a Turbo Duel where I'm afraid to use the effects of my Monsters, where I'm being assaulted by terrors and nightmares… But coming from this guy, I guess it comes as no surprise…**_

"_**Court of Darkness; The Rider of Shadows" is coming soon.**_

_**Riding Duel, Acceleration!**_


	16. Court of Darkness, The Rider of Shadow

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL SIXTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Court of Darkness**

**The Rider of Shadows**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"How's the tea, lad?" asked Kesto.

_Tastes like I'm drinking a candy cane, _thought Ben.

"Uhm, good…" he said, as he watched the gnome.

As his name implied, Kesto had very bright eyes. They were violet and sparkled like gems. But Ben couldn't see them right now. The gnome had traded in his spectacles for a weird set of goggles as he examined the Duel Disk. It had six lenses, three interchangeable ones for each eye, and a dial around each eye to adjust the current lens.

"Any luck?" asked Ben.

"Well, it's certainly magical…" replied Kesto. "And the enchantments placed on it are clearly much older than the game for which this device is designed. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say that this was a completely different artifact that was capable of changing forms…

"Biggest problem is, I'm having a hard time identifying the specific types of enchantments… And when that's a problem, the device in question is often incredibly powerful…"

He switched the lens over the right eye, and then turned the dial.

"Hmm…" he said.

"Uh… Ben, can you turn your head to the left a little?"

Ben did so.

"A little more…" said Kesto. "More… Okay, I…

"Great Jehoshaphat..."

"What?" asked Ben.

"There's a silver cord connected to this thing..." said Kesto. "A cord of astral energy… Connecting it...

"...to the base of your skull... Ben... This thing is bonded to your soul somehow..."

Ben sighed.

"I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise," he said. "But what is it for?"

Kesto didn't answer. He took the goggles off, replaced them with his regular spectacles, and walked up to a bookshelf. It only took him about fifteen seconds to find the right volume.

"I should be able to find out…" he replied. "But it might be harder than I expected at first…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lake Shore Drive was one of the most scenic expressways in the Chicago area. It ran along the coast of Lake Michigan, and along its sparkling beaches.

Standing by the side of the road next to his D-Wheel by the Jeffery Road exit, near the Southern Terminus, Karl was waiting for a phone call. Strange things were happening on this scenic highway, and someone had information about them.

His cell phone rang. He quickly answered.

"Go ahead, Lou," he said.

"Karl, I have some information about that guy you asked me about," said the voice. "Ever hear of Panik?"

"Panik?" said Karl. "Rings a bell somewhere…"

"You know…" said Lou. "Panik, the Player Killer of Darkness… The dueling mercenary who the King of Games fought WAY back in Pegasus's Duelist Kingdom?"

"Huh?" said Karl, scratching his head. "That guy? The story said that he didn't survive that duel…"

"Well, apparently, rumors of his death were grossly exaggerated," replied Lou. "I have reliable reports that the Turbo Duelist hanging around that area and causing trouble is him. Turbo duelists have been found frightened out of their wits and all they can remember is the name of their opponent – that name."

Karl slowly hung up.

_How could Panik be back? _he thought.

Panik was an old name in the stories about Yugi Mouto, but one of the most notorious. He was employed by Pegasus as a duelist eliminator at the Duelist Kingdom tournament, to make certain that there were only four qualifiers for the finals.

Panik seemed to be especially cruel and sadistic, and whether or not that was typical for all the dueling mercenaries that Pegasus used, none could say.

He was clever, only hunting for duelists at night; not only did he catch them unaware, but at night the rules of the tournament granted a Field bonus to the Fiend-Type Monsters he used similar to the Yami Field Spell. Plus, he used the Castle of Dark Illusions; back then, the card's effect was different, covering the field in obscuring darkness that protected his Monsters from attack and prevented other Field bonuses from working.

Even so, he tended to hide behind defenses, only striking in a duel when he was sure there was no resistance. Plus, he kept the opponent frightened using flamethrowers built into the arena that threatened to burn them. Yugi quickly marked him as a bully and a coward who was afraid to duel when the odds weren't in his favor.

And when Yugi finally defeated him, he became enraged, and tried to use the fire to kill Yugi, and would likely have killed every onlooker and himself in his rage. But Yugi's Millennium Puzzle prevented it, and then inflicted a Penalty Game upon Panik, which was believed to have killed him.

"First Giese and now Panik…" said Karl. "The dead seem to be restless… Isn't that a sign of the apocalypse?"

_I think we have to have a thousand years of darkness first, _said Sal

"When did you get a sense of humor?" asked Karl.

"_All kidding aside," _said Sal,_ "he likely has a new deck. Duel Monsters has come a long way since Duelist Kingdom. Cards like Dark Chimera and King of Yamimakai aren't going to cut it."_

As Karl was thinking this, a cold breeze blew over the expressway. Then clouds covered the sun. He shivered a little.

He saw a lone D-Wheeler approach from the south. He fixated his eyes on it, and saw that the D-Wheel was a large model, with a black, streamlined frame, with a rider dressed completely in black.

Then he thought that the rider was going to run him over. He was about to dodge, but the D-Wheeler swerved to a stop.

"That wasn't funny, you…" started Karl.

He stopped short as the D-Wheeler dismounted. Karl gulped. He was standing face-to-face with someone who stood well over six feet tall. His black riding jacket had a large letter P on the right side, and a large K on the left.

"I've been looking for you, Shadowchaser…" he said, in a sinister voice.

He took off his helmet, and it seemed the rumors were true. He looked just as the stories described him: beady eyes accented by black makeup like some deranged clown, and black lip gloss. He wore a skullcap over shaggy hair.

"So how did you come back, Panik?" asked Karl, trying to sound more sure of himself than he was.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," said the mercenary. "In the meantime, I know you folks are wondering about _this."_

He took something out of his jacket. It was the same strange pendant that so many of their opponents had been wearing.

"How many sleepless nights have you all spent wondering what it is?" asked Panik. "Well, I'll tell you… It's the Obex of Darkness, an ancient symbol of great power…"

"Is that supposed to mean something?" asked Karl.

Panik chuckled, and donned his helmet. Then he mounted his D-Wheel again.

"If you want to know more," he replied, "you'll have to face me in a Turbo Duel that you're sure to love!"

He started up his engine.

Karl leapt on his D-Wheel.

"You're on!" he shouted. "You're not gonna scare me with the same old tricks."

Under his helmet, Panik grinned.

_Little does he know, _thought the mercenary, _I have all new tricks…_

The two D-Wheels sped down Lake Shore Drive.

"Activating Speed World 2," said Karl, as the card flashed into existence on his console.

"_Duel mode," _said computer. _"Plotting course for cross-town racetrack… Awaiting approval from central grid…_

"_Approval granted…"_

Quicker than before (as Lake Shore Drive was a popular place for Turbo Duels), the expressway underwent its transformation, creating a dueling lane. Karl and Panik quickly swerved into it.

"_Turbo Duel underway," _said the loudspeaker. _"All traffic must vacate dueling lane." _

"I've got my eye on you, Panik," said Karl. "You weren't exactly the most trustworthy duelist…"

"Oh, don't worry…" replied Panik. "You'll see nothing but good intentions in this Turbo Duel."

Karl paused.

"Good intentions…" he muttered. "Wait! Doesn't the old saying go…"

"_The road to Hell is paved with good intentions," _said Sal.

"Kind of makes me wonder…" said Panik, "is the road to Heaven paved with bad ones?"

He laughed, and lightning flashed.

**(K: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000, SPC: 0)**

As they started to drive down the highway, a dark fog started to rise around them.

"What's this darkness?" asked Karl.

He looked up, but the eerie fog had obscured the whole sky.

"I'll make the first move," said Panik, not answering the question.

He made a draw.

"Hmm…" he said. "I heard you didn't like Fire Monsters too much… Well too bad!"

_Good grief, does everyone know? _thought Karl.

"Come forth! Do my bidding!" exclaimed Panik.

A portal opened, and man-sized and particularly hideous Fiend flew out. Its shape and clothing suggested a female, but it had a skull-like face (with a mane of purple hair behind it), and a bony exoskeleton where its tattered cloak didn't cover. It wore a red crown and had large wings. It started flying over his D-Wheel. (900 ATK)

"_That's Infernalqueen Archfiend!" _said Sal.

"An Archfiend…" muttered Karl, getting nervous.

Then he took a deep breath as he realized something.

"You do realize, pal," he said, "you can't play Pandemonium in a Turbo Duel, and without it, Archfiends will drain your Life Points every round."

"You just let me worry about that," replied Panik. "I set two cards facedown, and my turn is complete."

Two facedown cards appeared on either side of his bike, and then faded from view.

Karl drew a card, as his Speed Counters went up to 1. He looked nervously at Infernalqueen Archfiend. She was glaring at him with a taunting, threatening look, as if she wanted to eat him for lunch…

"I activate Infernalqueen's effect!" exclaimed Panik. "During every Standby Phase, yours and mine, she can grant 1,000 Attack Points to any Archfiend Monster for one round."

(1,900 ATK)

_Okay, that's a problem, _thought Karl.

"I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

The portal opened behind him, and the frigid Samurai emerged. (1,800 ATK)

"I'll set a facedown of my own," he said, as a card appeared in his Spell Zone, "and my turn is over."

"I'll activate this, then," said Panik, as one of his facedown cards spun around. "Solemn Wishes!"

_Well, that will absorb the Life Point payment, _thought Karl, _so long as he only uses one Archfiend at a time. _

"I draw!" said Panik, making a draw. "And I gain 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes… And like you said, I pay 500 of them for Infernalqueen."

A shower of gold fell on him, and Infernalqueen's eyes glowed with burning fire.

"And once again, I use Infernalqueen's effect to boost her Attack Score to 1,900.

"Then, seeing as I have one Archfiend on the field…"

The blazing portal opened again.

"I can summon someone even better! Come forth, Terrorking Archfiend!"

A new Fiend flew out, one who was just as hideous as Infernalqueen. Its body was made of exposed muscle, surrounded by a framework of bone. Its face was also skull-like, with a bony protrusion on top shaped like a French crown. It had large wings and a long cape on its back. It flew alongside his D-Wheel, on the opposite side as Infernalqueen. (2,000 ATK)

"Destroy his Samurai!" shouted Panik.

Terrorking Archfiend roared, and its chest began to bulge.

"Activate Trap!" shouted Karl. "Sakuretsu Armor!"

His facedown card spun around.

"Clever," said Panik, grinning under his helmet, "but when you use cards against the Archfiends, nothing is ever certain…"

A spiral of flames appeared in mid-air beside him, which turned into six red orbs, numbered one through six. Then a flame appeared on the one, and started to encircle the orbs.

"Many Archfiends can negate effects targeted at them," said Panik, "and Terrorking will successfully do so if this spin lands on a 2 or 5."

Karl watched the roulette wheel. To his dismay, it landed on the 2. His Trap Card shattered.

"Now where were we?" asked Panik. "Oh yes… Terrorking… Plague of Ruin!"

Terrorking's chest burst open and a swarm of vicious flies burst out, swarming onto Samurai and literally eating him alive.

"Now my Infernalqueen attacks directly!" laughed Panik. "Attack with fires of Perdition!"

Karl swerved as explosions of flame erupted from the ground around his bike. He drove clear, but he was breathing heavier than he had been in years. His heart was pounding.

**(K: 5,900, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000, SPC: 2)**

"How things have changed…" said Panik.

"What?" asked Karl with a gasp.

"In my previous life, I was a defensive duelist," chuckled the former eliminator. "Always hiding behind castles and fortresses, hiding in the dark…

"But if there's one thing losing to the King of Games taught me, it's that the best defense can often be an aggressive _offense!_

"If you can draw a card, it's your move…"

Karl's hand shook.

_Panik, huh? _he thought. _He certainly earned his name. _

_I've got to try to keep calm…_

He drew a card. Infernalqueen's Attack Score went up to 1,900 again.

_This gal will help me stall for at least a while…_

He set the card on his Disk, and a reversed Monster appeared.

"Your move," he said.

"I'll activate this other Trap first," said Panik, as his other facedown card spun around. "Life-Absorbing Machine.

"Now I'll draw…"

He made a draw, and both Speed Counters went up to 4.

"I gain 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes," he said, "and then Life-Absorbing Machine grants me Life Points equal to half what I paid last turn… Then I pay a total of 1,300 for my Archfiends.

"Then, once again, Infernalqueen adds 1,000 Attack Points to her own score."

(1,900 ATK)

He played a card, and a Speed Spell appeared in front of his bike.

"Now, Speed Spell – Angel Baton," he said.

"Talk about a contradiction…" said Karl.

"Silence," said Panik. "I now draw two cards, and then discard one…"

He made two draws. The Solemn Wishes card glowed again.

**(K: 5,900, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 7,950, SPC: 4)**

_Eh? _he thought, as he looked at the two cards. _This is the card that Tiberius gave me… Should be good for later…_

He quickly chose a card, and discarded it.

"In case you're thinking of using that Monster's effect, forget it. My Terrorking negates the effect of any Monster he destroys.

"Terrorking, vanquish his cowering Monster! Plague of Ruin!"

Terrorking roared and the swarm of fierce insects burst out of its chest again. Then Reese the Ice Mistress appeared where the card had been. She blocked with her gauntlets, and the plague simply bounced off. (800 DEF)

"What?" said Panik.

"Reese her can't be destroyed by Monsters that are Level 4 or higher," said Karl.

"You're stalling, and it won't work," said Panik.

He took a card, and set it on his Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"I'll set this, and end my turn. Keep in mind that many Archfiends are the right Level to destroy that Monster."

Somehow, Panik's failure that round seemed to give Karl a little courage. He made a draw. Once again, Infernalqueen's Attack Score went up to 1,900.

_But I only needed to delay you one round… _he thought.

"I summon Spellbreaker of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

In a flash of light, the pretty, young Spellcaster in a red dress appeared next to Reese. She frowned at the two Archfiends. (1,200 ATK)

"Okay ladies," said Karl, "let's bring em together…"

Spellbreaker and Reese nodded to each other. Then they flew into the sky. Reese led the way, and the two slowly faded into stars…

"_Mighty spirit of the North Wind, descend to bring your savage storm to the frozen tundra!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

_"Synchro Summon… Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

Brionac flew onto the field, flying and undulating like a huge serpent over Karl's bike. (2,300 ATK)

"Brionac's special ability can blow your two Archfiends right off the field!" exclaimed Karl.

"Well, fine…" chuckled Panik. "Be my guest…"

Karl reached for a card in his hand to discard…

Then his hand quivered… Fear slowly crept back into him as he looked at the two demons…

Panik was daring him to try, and his dare was not an empty one. Both Infernalqueen and Terrorking had a one-in-three chance of negating Brionac's effect, and destroying him in the process. If that happened, he would be completely defenseless.

_I don't have to use Brionac's effect… _he thought. _Brionac is stronger than both of them!_

_And since Infernalqueen can use her effect to strengthen his other Archfiends…_

"Brionac, attack his Infernalqueen!" he shouted. "Death blizzard!"

Brionac turned his head, and blasted a beam of sheer cold. Infernalqueen shrieked as a coffin of ice formed around her, and then she burst into a cloud of smoke and soot.

"You little brat!" shouted Panik.

"One down," said Karl. "It's your move…"

Panik snarled as he made a draw.

Then he grinned a sinister grin.

"You think my Terrorking is a terror, Shadowchaser…" he said. "I just drew a Fiend who is much worse…

"I gain 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes, then 650 from Life-Absorbing Machine, and then pay 800 for my Terrorking…"

**(K: 5,900, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 7,900, SPC: 6)**

"Next, by playing Speed Spell – Summon Speeder, I can Special Summon a Monster that is Level 4 or lower."

The Speed Spell appeared in front of him.

"Meet Darkbishop Archfiend!"

A new Archfiend emerged from the flaming portal. Its body design was similar to the other Archfiends – exposed muscle and a bony exoskeleton with wings – but slimmer. Its skull-like head had a bony protrusion on top that suggested a bishop's miter. It wore a long, tattered cloak, and held a scepter topped with a skull. (300 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Terrorking and Darkbishop turned into spheres of fire.

"…for Archfiend Empress!"

The fiery portal opened, and a far more intimidating Archfiend than the previous ones emerged from it. She (Karl assumed it was female, due to the name) had a much different anatomy than the others; her very flesh seemed to be metallic armor, with decorated, flared joints and a crown that included large, curved horns. She carried a long staff with a bladed trident on the end, and wore a tattered red cloak. (2,900 ATK)

"Holy…" started Karl.

He caught himself. There was nothing holy about this.

"Archfiend Empress…" said Panik.

The Archfiend looked at Karl with a wicked smile that showed sharp fangs. Her eyes glowed with a light of pure evil…

"…attack his Dragon!" commanded Panik. "Chaos Elemental Storm!"

Archfiend Empress lifted her staff to the sky, and with a clap of thunder, called lightning to it. She blasted the lightning forward, and Brionac let out a scream. Karl screamed too as his Monster was incinerated…

**(K: 5,300, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 7,900, SPC: 6)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ben was getting nervous. It was one o'clock. If Dugan and the others came back before he did, they would likely be beside themselves with worry.

"Let me ask you something, Ben…" said Kesto, as he leafed thought one of the three tomes on the coffee table where the Duel Disk was sitting. "Have you used this Disk to duel any serious opposition?"

"Well, the first guy I dueled, his deck was ridiculous..." said Ben. "The Dread Emperor was okay, but his deck was sort of a one-trick pony. And Willy was only... Fair."

"Yes, yes, I know about his Karakuri Deck…" said Kesto.

"Why?" said Ben. "Do _you _want to duel now?"

"Well, Ben," said Kesto, "I think I can set up a little… experiment of sorts, that will help us learn more about the enchantments present in this device, and its true purpose. To do that, you'll have to actually use it.

"After all, a true experiment requires a control… A control is an unchanged variable that the subject is compared to. So you can duel me, I can use my Disk – which is an ordinary Duel Disk – and its functioning as the control, and then I can observe how yours – which is clearly not – functions. That's the goal of an experiment.

"It's entirely up to you, of course, but it may be the only way I can figure out anything else about this device."

Ben sighed.

"Well, you're the expert," he said. "I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"Splendid," said Kesto. "Now, stay right there, and I'll fetch the equipment I need… This should take but fifteen minutes to set up…"

Ben sighed. He hoped this would be done soon.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Feeling it yet, Shadowchaser?" asked Panik. "The sheer terror that lies at the core of these creatures?

"Well, it's just going to get worse…"

His Trap Card spun around.

"I pay 1,000 Life Points to activate The Crown of Azael! And I Equip it to my Archfiend Empress!"

A golden, jewel-encrusted crown appeared on Archfiend Empress's head. Then something unusual happened. Her face became covered by a cloudy veil of shadow.

"What?" said Karl.

"Azael was a demon who was so terrifying, he scared even other demons," chuckled Panik. "In fact, looking at his face could scare any creature of less than a deity's status to death. This crown covered his face with a shroud of darkness, keeping his power in check until he chose to unleash it.

"I'd love to show you just what this card does, but I think I'll wait a little while… Give you some time to think about it… After all… I'm in no hurry!

"It's your move…"

**(K: 5,300, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 6,900, SPC: 6)**

Karl was almost too frightened to take his hands off the steering bars. He was too frightened to make a draw…

"_Karl…" _said Sal. _"Karl! Snap out of it!"_

"Sal?" asked Karl.

"_Panik is using dirty tricks,"_ said Sal. _"I'm detecting heavy enchantment magic on the Monster Cards he's using…"_

"Enchantment magic…" said Karl.

He looked at Panik.

"Figures… He's using artificial means to induce fear… Maybe losing to the King of Games made his insecure of his own ability to do so.

"Thanks for telling me…"

He drew a card.

"Summon the most terrifying Fiends you can, Panik!" he said. "They can't be scarier than that documentary on the fast food industry that Nichole talked us into watching last week."

Panik scowled.

"I set a Monster, and a facedown card," said Karl, as two cards, one in his Spell Zone and one in his Monster Zone appeared.

"Now it's your go," he said, as they faded.

Panik made a draw, and both Counters rose to 8.

"I gain 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes," he said, "and then and 900 from Life-Absorbing Machine. Fortunately, Empress does not require me to pay any."

He shifted gears, and pulled ahead of Karl.

"I think I'll use the effect of Speed World 2!" he laughed. "By giving up 4 of my Speed Counters, I can dish out damage equal to 800 times the number of Speed Spells I have.

"And because I have two… Well… Do the math…"

The images of Speed Spell – The End of Storm and Speed Spell – Curse of Fate appeared behind him, and flames and smoke shot out of his exhaust pipes, hitting Karl. Karl grunted and covered his face.

Panik decelerated, and pointed at Karl.

"Now, my Empress," he said. "Destroy his Monster!"

The Chaos Elemental Storm started again.

"Not gonna happen this time…" said Karl. "I activate… Magic Cylinder!"

His Trap Card spun around. Panik let out a scream as the fiery bolt was shot right back at him.

"I end my turn…" he said, in a low growl.

Karl made a draw.

**(K: 3,700, SPC: 9) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 5,400, SPC: 5)**

_Just what I needed, _he thought. _But first…_

"I'm using the effect of Speed World 2 as well," he said. "I'll give up 7 Counters to make one draw."

He fell behind Panik, and drew a card.

"Now I'll play MY Speed Spell – Angel Baton," he said. "I believe I have enough speed to use it…"

He played the card, and made two draws. He quickly discarded a card.

"I flip Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier into Attack Mode," he said.

His facedown Monster flipped up, and Cryomancer appeared, pointing his staff threateningly at the Empress. (1,300 ATK)

"Fool," chuckled Panik. "Does that weakling really think he can defeat my Empress?"

"No, he doesn't," said Karl. "He knows that he has NO chance to defeat your Empress."

He played another card, and Dewdark of the Ice Barrier leapt onto the field. (1,200 ATK)

"But your Empress isn't the target right now. Because I only control Level 2 Monsters, Dewdark here can attack you directly!

"Go! Edge reflection!"

Dewdark dashed alongside Karl's bike, and then leapt at Panik. The eliminator groaned as the Aqua's daggers hit home.

"Here's something else to consider, Panik," said Karl. "Because I have another Ice Barrier Monster, Cryomancer prevents all Level 4 or higher Monsters from attacking. So your Empress is dead weight.

"It's your move…"

Then Panik actually laughed.

He drew a card.

_This will do, _he thought.

**(K: 3,700, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,200, SPC: 6)**

"I'll take a boost from my Trap Card," he said, as Solemn Wishes glowed again.

"And dead weight? I think not… Who said my Empress had to attack in order to make you feel sorry?

"I use the effect of The Crown of Azael. Once per turn, by skipping my Battle Phase, I get to remove one low-Level Fiend in my deck from play."

He held up a card.

"My Desrook Archfiend should do."

A dark shadow enveloped the card, and it vanished.

"And once I use that effect two more times, I can send Archfiend Empress to the Graveyard to deal damage equal to the combined Attack Scores of the Fiends I removed from play!"

"WHAT?" shouted Karl.

"That is, if I even need to do that," chuckled Panik, as he played a Speed Spell. "I play Curse of Fate!"

Two long chains wrapped around Archfiend Empress's torso.

"This Speed Spell gives her an ability that she can use once per round, a total of twice, so long as I skip my Battle Phase when I do so. Since I'm skipping it anyway, I might as well. So, I use that ability to deal damage equal to half her Attack Score!"

One of the two chains vanished, and spiked chains shot up on both sides of Karl's bike. They snapped and stabbed at him like snakes.

He lost his nerve again. He screamed.

"Scares you more than processed hamburger meat, wouldn't you say?" chuckled Panik. "I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A set card appeared behind his Archfiend.

"I'm not gonna let you win, Panik…" said Karl, now clearly close to his breaking point. "I'll fight to the end!"

He went to draw a card.

"_Uh, Karl?" _said Sal. _"I think I know what he meant by 'if I even need to do that'… If Panik uses that burn effect again, you'll be down to exactly 800 Life Points…" _

"I know…" said Karl, "and we both know he has The End of Storm already, which means he'll win the duel unless I draw something good here…"

He made a draw.

**(K: 2,250, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,700, SPC: 7)**

Suddenly, he felt his courage coming back.

"Dewdark, attack him directly again!" he shouted.

Dewdark started to dash alongside his bike again.

"Not this time, Shadowchaser…" said Panik.

His facedown card spun around.

"I play Fiendish Chain!"

A mass of chains grabbed Dewdark, tying him up.

"This Trap Card paralyzes your Monster, and prevents it from using its effect."

Karl set two cards on his console. Two set cards in his Spell Zone briefly appeared before fading from view.

"I summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier," he continued.

Geomancer appeared, flying alongside the other two Tuners. (800 ATK)

"Next, I send one card in my hand to the Graveyard," he continued, making a discard, "and by naming Dark, Monsters of that Attribute can't attack Geomancer.

"End!"

Panik laughed as he drew a card. His Life Points went up by 500 again.

"Then I'm ending this now!" he laughed.

The second chain vanished from around Archfiend Empress.

"Not so fast!" exclaimed Karl, as a facedown card lifted up.

"What? A Trap?" said Panik, in surprise. "What is it?"

"Damage Polarizer," replied Karl. "It negates the damage I would have taken, and then lets both of us draw one card."

Panik frowned. They both made a draw. In Yukai Judai's famous duel with Kaiser Ryo, Kaiser had used this Trap, and they had both drawn the exact same card… But such miracles rarely happen twice, especially when the two duelists have such different decks.

"I still get to use the effect of The Crown of Azael," said Panik.

He held up another card.

"This time, I'm removing my Shadowknight Archfiend from play.

"And I end my turn…"

"_You survived that round, Karl," _said Sal, _"But you have to do something this round, or it will be all over next round. The combined Attack Scores of the two Fiends he removed from play equal 3,100. Even if he only removes a Kuriboh from play…"_

"…I'll lose all my Life Points when he uses the full effect of that Trap Card…" said Karl.

He made a draw.

"Go, Call of the Haunted!" he shouted, as his other facedown card spun around.

Samurai of the Ice Barrier leapt onto the field. (1,800 ATK)

"Now, I summon Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier!"

The portal opened again, and Dance Princess flew out, doing a pirouette in mid-air. (1,700 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together Cryomancer and Samurai…"

The Aqua and the Warrior flew into the sky. They slowly faded into a cluster of stars…

"_Noble beast of the frozen north! Command your territory of ice and snow with your mighty roar of pride!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon... Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier!"_

Dewloren leapt onto the field, and started running beside Karl's bike. (2,000 ATK)

"Then," continued Karl, "by returning Geomancer, Dewdark, and Call of the Haunted to my hand… Well… Just watch."

The two Monsters and the Trap Card vanished, and Dewloren glowed with blue energy. (3,500 ATK)

"Eh?" said Panik.

"Dewloren, put Archfiend Empress on ice!" shouted Karl. "Roar of the North Wind!"

The Tiger King let out a great roar, and the Empress of the Archfiends staggered under the mighty blast of arctic wind. Finally, she shattered into pixels.

"Seems I nipped your plan in the bud, Panik," said Karl.

"Heh, heh, heh…" said Panik. "True, you prevented me from finishing you by using the Crown's first effect…

"…but by sending it to the Graveyard prematurely, you've activated its _other _effect!"

Then two demonic creatures appeared flying beside Panik's bike. One looked like a big chess rook with a fiendish face, with barbed tentacles. (1,800 DEF) The other was garbed in armor, with a breastplate shaped like a horse's skull. It had a sword in its right hand, and its left hand was an oversized claw. (2,000 DEF)

"No way…" said Karl. "You summoned the two Fiends that you removed from play? Where the heck did you get that card?"

"My employer is _very _generous," replied Panik. "Furthermore, by destroying Archfiend Empress, you activated her effect, letting me Special Summon a Level 6 or higher Dark Fiend-Type Monster from my Graveyard.

"Come forth, Skull Archfiend of Lightning!"

Lightning flashed, and a new Archfiend rose over the field with a bellow. It looked like the famous Summoned Skull, but much darker, and much more evil. (2,500 ATK)

Karl gulped.

"When was that guy in your…" he started.

Then he stopped short.

"Angle Baton… Talk about sneaky…"

He slowly took a card from his hand and looked at it.

"Sal…" he said. "What are the odds that those three can negate this card?"

"_Desrook and Shadowknight only have a one-in-six chance,"_ replied Sal. _"Skull Archfiend of Lightning, however, has a flat fifty percent chance."_

Karl set the card on his console along with Call of the Haunted, and both appeared facedown.

_Here goes nothing, _he thought.

"I end my turn," he said.

"I draw!" laughed Panik, making a draw.

"I gain 500 Life Points from Solemn wishes, and then these three Archfiends require a payment of 1,900 Points."

**(K: 2,250, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,200, SPC: 10)**

Desrook Archfiend moved to Attack Mode. (1,100 ATK)

"Skull Archfiend of Lightning…" commanded Panik. "Obliterate his Tiger King with burning lightning strike!"

There was a storm like all Hell coming loose, and lighting started to strike the sides of the road where Karl was struggling to keep balanced. Dewloren screamed as he was blown to atoms. Dance Princess screamed too, fear starting to overwhelm her.

"She should be scared," said Panik. "Because she's next!"

Shadowknight Archfiend flew at Dance Princess…

"I activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Karl, as his facedown card spun around.

"Think you're luckier than I am?" asked Panik.

The fiery roulette wheel appeared again.

"I guess the odds are in your favor…" he said, as it started to spin, "but still, if it lands on a 3, your Dance Princess is history…"

Then it stopped. It was on the 6, not even _close _to the 3.

Shadowknight's sword hit an invisible shield.

"Seems the odds were truly in my favor," said Karl.

_The only question now is, _he thought, _does he have the guts to use that End of Storm card?_

As if to reply, Panik played a card, and the dreaded Spell Card bearing the face of Darkness appeared in front of him. A violent wind struck the field, and all three of his Fiends and Dance Princess shattered into pixels.

_Okay… _thought Karl. _He does have the guts…_

"I'm not done…" said Panik. "Seeing as I know that facedown card of yours is Call of the Haunted, I'm using the effect of Speed World 2, and spending all 10 of my Speed Counters to wipe it out!"

Panik's D-Wheel fell far behind Karl's as the Trap Card shattered.

The eliminator chuckled, and set a card on his console. A card appeared in his Spell Zone before fading.

"My move!" shouted Karl, making a draw.

He looked at the card. Then he took another card from his hand.

**(K: 3,750, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 2,300, SPC: 1)**

"I'm ending this now, Panik," he said, "and it's all going to start with THIS Monster."

He turned the card so that Panik could see it as he was following behind.

"General Grunard?" asked Panik. "That Monster is too powerful. You'd need a special card to summon it."

"I have one…" replied Karl. "I have what I need in my Graveyard.

"See, when I discarded that card for Geomancer's effect, it was a special Monster… Ironically, he's your favorite Type of Monster, a Fiend. He's called Wendigo of the Ice Barrier."

A shaggy biped covered with white fur, with a thick mane, and a long tail appeared in phantasmal form next to Karl.

"He's sort of like the Ice Barrier's answer to Elemental Hero Necroshade," continued Karl. "By removing him from play, I can Normal Summon a high-Level Monster with the words 'Ice Barrier' in its name without sacrifice."

The Wendigo faded into nothing.

"So here he is," said Karl, as the portal opened, "General Grunard of the Ice Barrier!"

The mighty general in icy armor appeared, and struck a pose between the two racing D-Wheels. (2,800 ATK)

"I wasn't expecting that," said Panik, as his facedown card spun around, "but I'm more than prepared!"

Call of the Haunted revealed itself, and in an aura of fire, Archfiend Empress appeared again. (2,900 ATK)

"I figured as much," said Karl.

"I have you now, Shadowchaser!" he laughed. "Even if you somehow destroy her again, I'll simply use her effect to summon Skull Archfiend of Lightning again!"

"Oh?" asked Karl. "And what then, Panik? Grunard is stronger than he is."

For the first time, Panik looked a little worried. He glanced at the last card in his hand.

"Besides," said Karl, "Grunard is going to take out your Empress AND you in one mighty blow."

He threw a card on his console.

"Speed Spell – Speed Energy!" he exclaimed. "By playing this, my Monster gains 200 Attack Points for every Speed Counter I have. That's 1,600 more Attack Points."

Grunard glowed with powerful light. (4,400 ATK)

"You may destroy Archfiend Empress," cursed Panik. "But I'll still have Life Points left."

"No you won't," said Karl, "because like you, I also discarded a useful card when I played Angel Baton."

A Trap Card appeared behind him.

"The Skill Successor Trap Card! When it's in my Graveyard, I can remove it from play to boost my Monster's Attack Score a further 800 points."

The glow surrounding General Grunard became almost blinding. (5,200 ATK) Panik screamed, and even Archfiend Empress looked terrified.

"Stop!" screamed Panik. "It's too bright!"

"Some things never change," said Karl. "You may have gotten braver, you may have become a more offensive duelist, but you're still the creature of darkness that hides from the light of day…

"General Grunard, banish his darkness! Attack with Fury of Boreas!"

The general's eyes glowed, and a blizzard struck the darkened road. Both Archfiend Empress and Panik screamed…

**(K: 3,750, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 0, SPC: 0)**

Karl swerved to a stop.

The light had come back. He was at the Belmont Avenue exit of Lakeshore Drive, nineteen miles from where they had started. Panik was nowhere to be seen.

He held his chest. His heart was still pounding, he was still shivering, and sweat was running down his brow. He took some deep breaths…

_So it was a Shadow Duel all along… _he thought. _Well… At least I won…_

_Unfortunately… He split before he could tell me just what that Obex of Darkness thing was…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Tiberius frowned.

He had been watching the duel on the screen of his cell phone as he rode in a limo, heading west into the suburbs of Cook County.

"Seems Panik couldn't amount to much against true opposition…" he said.

"I'll speak to him later… In the meantime…"

He looked at a briefcase by his side.

"…I have some loose ends to tie up…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – SUMMON SPEEDER (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Dunames Dark Witch surrounded by the energy of Speed World.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Monster from your hand. The Special Summoned Monster may not attack this turn.

_Note: "Speed Spell – Summon Speeder" has been used by many duelists in "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's", originally by both Enjo and Yusei in the episode "Surprise, Surprise". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – CURSE OF FATE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A circle of candles and four chains surrounded by the energy of Speed World.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 Monster you control, and place 2 Cursed Counters on it. Once per turn, you may remove 1 Cursed Counter from a Monster to inflict damage to your opponent equal to half the Monster's ATK. If you do, you cannot declare an attack during the same turn.

_Note: "Speed Spell – Curse of Fate" was first used by Carly in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Shadow of Doubt (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – SPEED ENERGY (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Four glowing stars rushing through Speed World.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 Monster you control. Increase the selected Monster's ATK by 200 for each of your Speed Counters until the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Speed World – Speed Energy" was first used by Yusei in the __2008 Jump Fiesta episode. __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

'

**SPEED SPELL – THE END OF STORM (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **The demon Darkness in a burst of dark energy.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 10 or more Speed Counters. Destroy all Monsters on the field. Each player takes 300 points of damage for each of his Monsters that was destroyed by this effect.

_Note: "Speed Spell – The End of Storm" was first used by Jack in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "A Blast from the Past (Part 2)" and appeared frequently after that. __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**WENDIGO OF THE ICE BARRIER**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description: **Remove this card in your Graveyard from play. This turn, you may Normal Summon 1 Level 5 or higher "Ice Barrier" Monster without Tribute.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – THE CROWN OF AZAEL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A cultist in a dark robe keeling before Terrorking Archfiend and Infernalqueen Archfiend, holding up a crown on a black cushion.

**Card Description: **Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. When this card is activated, it is treated as an Equip Spell that Equips to a Fiend-Type Monster you control. Once per turn by skipping your Battle Phase you can remove a Level 4 or lower Fiend-Type Monster in your deck from play to put a "Sacrifice Counter" on this card. (Max. 3) When this card has 3 "Sacrifice Counters" you can send this card and the Equipped Monster to the Graveyard to inflict damage to your opponent equal to combined ATK of the Monsters that were removed from play. If this card is sent to the Graveyard by any means other than its own effect, you may Special Summon the Monsters that were removed from play via its effect. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: I won't pretend I know what Kesto is doing. I have no idea how his equipment works, or even how most magic works. He's the professional, so I'll trust him with these weird things.**_

_**All I know is, I have to duel in order for him to conduct this experiment, and THAT I can do. And looking at the theme my deck has taken this time, it seems to have adjusted accordingly. Maybe Kesto will take note of that. **_

"_**Revelations; The Enchanted Duel Disk" is coming soon.**_

_**Who knows? We might find out more about the Obex of Darkness too…**_


	17. Revelations, The Enchanted Duel Disk

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL SEVENTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Revelations**

**The Enchanted Duel Disk**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The headquarters of the Dark Suns was, ironically, a building that was once a church on the outskirts of the city in Cook County. After a bank foreclosed on the place, someone bought it with plans to turn it into a jazz club. That idea fell through, as did one plan after another for the old place. Now the Dark Suns called it home.

Calling the Dark Suns "Sons of Tyranny wanna-bes" was actually more fitting than most folks thought. The Sons of Tyranny truly had Hextor's divine power to back them up. The Dark Suns had no real support from the god they devoted themselves to at all – they had no members who even knew how to go about the process of petitioning to be a divine spellcaster, and if Cyric even knew about them, he likely didn't care.

Right now, Tiberius was inside, looking at the gang with disgust.

"You folks are the sorriest excuses I have ever had the privilege of working with," he said. "If I had wanted to hire losers, I'd have looked up that basketball team whose job is to play against the Harlem Globetrotters."

The thugs glared at him with looks of hate. They had more reasons than he had to be angry. Not only had they been humiliated, a lot of them had wiped out and were hurt when Dugan had used that smokescreen.

Even angrier was Acamar's right-hand man. He was the leader now, which meant that The Supremacy Sun was rightfully his according to the rules set by the gang… The Shadowchasers would likely laugh at him if he went and told them that – after they arrested him.

"We'll live with your disappointment," he said with a scowl. "In case you didn't know, Acamar and Martin are in Shadowchaser custody, and they impounded The Supremacy Sun!

"Dealing with the police is no problem, cause we got a lot of them bought. But we can't buy the Shadowchasers…"

"True…" said Tiberius. "I doubt even I could buy the Shadowchasers."

"Where's our money, you bastard?" growled the thug.

Tiberius frowned. He threw a briefcase on the floor, and the thugs greedily snatched it.

"Count it," he said. "That is, if any of you are able to."

"One more thing," said same thug. "We ain't doing anything else for you until you tell us who this Azathoth guy is."

Tiberius gave them a cold look.

"When H.P. Lovecraft was told about the god I worship," he said, "he was inspired to create a plot device… A god called Azathoth… Although Lovecraft didn't truly understand the nature of what he had based his work on, and his descriptions took many liberties…

"The entity that Azathoth was inspired by is a being so terrible, even Cyric fears him."

"You lie!" screamed another thug.

"I don't care if you believe me or not," said Tiberius, as he turned to leave. "I'm done dealing with you uncultured cretins."

The door slammed shut. Two of the Dark Suns rushed after him, only to find it locked.

"How'd he lock that door?" cursed the leader, as he looked through his pockets. "I'm the only one who has the key…"

Outside, Tiberius took a remote out of his overcoat.

"I have no key," he said, "but I know a spell called Hold Portal… Even an initiate of my faith can cast it. You'd know about it too, if you truly had Cyric's favor…"

He pushed a button on the remote.

"And as for 'living with my disappointment', gentlemen?" he said. "I think not…"

Inside the building, a beeping noise came from under the stacks of cash in the briefcase…

Tiberius opened the door of the waiting limousine. As he closed the door, an explosion tore the old church apart.

"Good riddance to bad rubbish," he said as he sat down in the back. "Graves, take the scenic route. I have some thinking to do."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Going back about forty-five minutes, to when the three Turbo Duels were just starting, Ben watched with confusion as Kesto set up a notebook with golden paper on a pedestal.

Then he placed a quill pen on it, which strangely stood on its point.

"Almost ready here…" he said.

He was now wearing a Duel Disk, and a different pair of goggles, ones that were made of gold that looked like a pair of opera glasses, with several bells and whistles.

"Oh-kay…" said Ben. "Now… How's this gonna work?"

"Well, using these Spectacles of True Sight, I'll be able to see even the most powerful magical auras," explained Kesto. "Hopefully, by seeing how that Duel Disk works, I can make an analysis, which might lead to a hypothesis. We might be able to discover its purpose.

"And anything I miss, the quill pen should write down."

"And you can duel while you're doing this?" asked Ben.

Kesto chuckled.

"I'm perfectly capable of multi-tasking," he said. "So long as this deck doesn't supply you with any God Cards, I'll be perfectly capable of observing while I duel.

"All you have to do is return the favor…

"And one more thing Ben…

"In order for me to truly see how this thing functions, this has to be for real… I'm not holding back, and I don't want you to either."

He activated his Disk, and the auto-shuffler shuffled his deck. Then his magical spectacles glowed, and the lenses turned green.

"Let us begin."

Ben activated his Disk.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Kesto: 8,000)**

As Ben's deck was shuffled, the quill pen started to write… Very fast.

_Only five seconds into this test and already I see something important, _thought Kesto. _I think I saw the point where the deck changed, and right before, the silver cord had some interaction going from Ben to the Disk… Almost as if the Disk was drawing on information taken from Ben to create the deck…_

_Strange…_

Ben looked over the five cards.

"Uh…" said Ben. "Why don't you go first?"

"Very well…" said Kesto, drawing a card.

"I set two cards, and then summon Silent Swordsman LV3 to the field."

Two set cards appeared, and then a short and childish Warrior appeared. He wore a long overcoat, shoes with spats, a very large helmet with a bladed crest, and held a sword that looked too big for him to use. He had light blue skin and blonde hair, cut short with bangs. (1,000 ATK)

"I end my turn…" said Kesto.

Ben looked nervously at the Warrior, and then made a draw.

_Those facedown cards are likely trouble… _he thought. _Attacking may not be wise…_

_But… If I don't attack, that Swordsman will become even stronger next turn…_

_Here goes nothing…_

"I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior," he said.

As he played the card, a cute robot made of yellow material with magnet-like horns on its head and magnets for hands floated out in front of him. (1,700 ATK)

_Hmm, Magnet Warriors… _thought Kesto. _Interesting…_

"Attack!" shouted Ben.

Beta's hands glowed, and it shot a bolt of electromagnetic energy at Silent Swordsman. The Warrior grunted, and shattered.

"Huh…" said Ben. "Huh! You were bluffing!"

Kesto smirked a little.

"Uh… That will be all for now…" said Ben.

**(B: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 7,300)**

Kesto drew a card.

"I summon Silent Magician LV4," he said.

Another Monster appeared that looked like a child, but this was clearly a girl, and clearly a Spellcaster. She wore a white wizard's robed and a peaked hat, and held a scepter tipped with a blue orb. She had large blue eyes and platinum blonde hair. (1,000 ATK)

"Next, I play Level Modulation," he said, as he quickly played a Spell Card. "First, you get to make two draws…"

"Uh, okay…" said Ben.

He made two draws.

"And then, I get to bring a Leveled Monster back from the grave…" continued Kesto.

Silent Swordsman LV3 appeared again. (1,000 ATK)

Silent Magician closed her eyes, and glowed with arcane energy. (1,500 ATK)

"I see you've noticed her effect," said Kesto. "Each time you draw one or more cards, she gets stronger."

_That's why he let Silent Swordsman take the hit! _thought Ben. _This guy is good…_

"You seem to like Leveled Monsters," he said.

"Of course," replied Kesto. "Leveled Monsters… Some of them, at least… Are symbolic of the true beliefs of the Athar."

"That the gods are frauds?" asked Ben.

Kesto sighed.

"That's actually our secondary belief," replied Kesto. "Sadly, many crude folks who call themselves Athar tend to concentrate on it and speak out as loudly as they can against religious establishments with hate-filled speech. It gives the Athar a bad name.

"True Athar promote our true beliefs: That mortals have potential that they can reach on their own, and that we do not need outside interference from those who call themselves gods to reach it. The Leveled Monsters are symbolic of this… They use their own effects to become stronger, to evolve into more powerful forms.

"Silent Magician and Silent Swordsman are my two favorites. They're not only powerful, they're very beautiful. Legends about the worlds of Duel Spirits even hint that the two are lovers, or were at one time.

"Anyway, to complete my turn, I'll set another facedown card…"

A new set card appeared.

"…and then I'll activate the Continuous Trap Card, Gilded Aura."

One of his facedown cards lifted up, and Ben had never seen this one before. It bore the picture of the Goblin of Greed wearing an overcoat made of shining gold foil.

"I can use this card's effect once per turn to prevent a Monster from being destroyed by battle," explained Kesto. "However, when I choose to do so, you draw one card.

"And with that, my turn is complete."

Ben drew a card.

Silent Magician glowed again. (2,000 ATK)

Ben looked at the two Monsters.

_He's probably going to __use Gilded Aura to protect Silent Swordsman, _he thought,_ hoping that forcing me to draw a card will make Silent Magician stronger. Well... Far be it for me to disappoint..._

"I summon Alpha the Magnet Warrior!" he exclaimed.

Anther Magnet Warrior floated onto the field. This one was grey, had magnet-shaped shoulder pads and a magnet-shaped helmet with a peak, and carried a sword and a shield. (1,400 ATK)

"Attack Silent Swordsman!" shouted Ben.

Alpha flew at the young Warrior…

"I use the effect of Gilded Aura!" exclaimed Kesto.

Silent Swordsman deflected the blow with his weapon.

"But you still took damage, and I get to make one draw," said Ben, as he drew a card.

"And in response to you doing so, I'll activate this," said Kesto, as another of his facedown cards lifted up.

"It's called Appropriate. From this point on, whenever you pick up one or more extra cards, I get to pick up two of them.

"And since you drew again, my Magician becomes stronger…"

Silent Magician glowed once again. (2,500 ATK)

"Then I'll just have to take her out!" said Ben, as he threw a card into his Duel Disk. "With the Quickplay Spell Card, Two-Man Ambush!

"Since Alpha's attack failed, I can toss one card from my hand to boost Beta's Attack Score by an amount equal to Alpha's!"

He threw a card into his discard slot, and Beta's Attack Score rose to 3,100.

"Attack Silent Magician!" shouted Ben.

Beta's hands burned with fire. He pointed at Silent Magician…

Then Kesto's other facedown card lifted up. Silent Swordsman rushed to Silent Magician's side, put his arm around her waist, and swatted the blast away with his sword. Beta shattered into pixels.

"Huh?" said Ben.

"Like I said, they're an item," said Kesto, with a grin. "Well, truthfully I helped them a little… I used the Covering Fire Trap Card… It let Silent Swordsman add his Attack Score to hers."

Silent Magician nodded to Silent Swordsman, and he gently set her back on her feet.

_This could be bad… _thought Ben.

"I have to end my turn…" he said.

**(B: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,900)**

Kesto drew a card. He glanced over at the quill pen, which was steadily writing.

_Uh huh, _he thought.

"It's my Standby Phase," he said, as Silent Swordsman started to glow, "which means I can send his Level 3 form to the Graveyard to evolve him into Silent Swordsman LV5."

There was a flash of light, and the child Warrior was replaced by a handsome teenager dressed in an older version of the previous form's outfit. His sword was even bigger, and still looked far too big for him to use. His blonde hair was now long and worn loose. (2,300 ATK)

_Yup, this is bad, _thought Ben.

"Silent Magician, wipe out his Magnet Warrior with solar blast!" ordered Kesto.

Silent Magician aimed her scepter, and fired a blast of pure light. The Magnet Warrior was burned to a cinder.

"Now a direct attack!" continued Kesto. "Silent Swordsman, attack with shimmering strike!"

Like Cloud Strife wielding his Buster Sword, Silent Swordsman gripped his oversized weapon in both hands and leapt at Ben. The blow struck him hard, but Ben kept standing.

**(B: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,900)**

Kesto paused. He looked hard at Ben's Duel Disk as Ben held his head.

"Think that will do it for now…" said the old gnome.

Ben drew a card. Silent Magician glowed again. (3,000 ATK)

_Great, she's even stronger, _thought Ben, _and she'll be stronger still if I try to attack and trigger that Gilded Aura._

_Even worse, Silent Swordsman is going to evolve into his final form next turn… Best make good use if this turn. _

"I set one Monster, and two facedown cards," he said, as three set cards appeared in front of him.

"Then, I play the Spell Card, Dark Factory of Mass Production."

He threw the card into his Disk, and the Spell appeared in front of him. 

"I now get to take two Monsters from my Graveyard, so long as they're Normal Monsters…"

He took Alpha and Beta from his discard slot.

"I'll end my turn there."

"Then I draw," said Kesto.

"And because my Swordsman attacked directly last turn, I can take this duel to the next level…"

Silent Swordsman began to glow again.

"Or in his case, _two _Levels! Arise, Silent Swordsman Level 7!"

In a flash, Silent Swordsman transformed into his ultimate form. He was now a full adult, taller and more muscular, and his sword had adjusted to his size better. His blonde locks reached to his shoulders. (2,800 ATK)

"And with him on the field, all Spell Cards are automatically negated."

He paused. He looked at Ben.

_Come on, Ben, _he thought. _Show me that this Duel Disk isn't just some toy that some spoiled brat son of an efreeti sultan threw away!_

"Silent Swordsman, attack his Monster!" he shouted.

The Warrior leapt at the hidden Monster…

Sangan appeared on the card, and was cut in half.

A card popped out of Ben's deck, and he took it.

_Maybe I spoke to soon, _thought Kesto. _That card he got using Sangan's effect is clearly the third Magnet Warrior, Gamma._

_Which means, he only needs one card to do something that very few duelists are able to do…_

"Silent Magician, attack him directly!"

Ben cringed as the Spellcaster hit him with her powerful solar blast. He held his chest.

"Hurts…" said Ben. "But you know… It's a _good _kind of hurt…"

One of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Go, Shock Draw!" he shouted. "Because I took 3,000 points of damage that round, I get to draw three times!"

He made three draws.

"But I also draw twice, due to Appropriate," said Kesto, making two draws.

"And, Silent Magician gets stronger still…"

(3,500 ATK)

"I set one card, and then you go," he said, as a card appeared in his Spell Zone.

**(B: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,900)**

Ben drew a card. Silent Magician didn't react; she had taken all the power she could hold.

"I guess you probably saw this next move coming," he said, "but here goes anyway…

"I send Alpha, Beta, and Gamma from my hand to the Graveyard…"

He discarded the three cards. Alpha and Beta appeared in front of him, along with a third Magnet Warrior, a pink, bulky one with wings on its back and a big S on its chest.

Then the three Magnet Warriors flew upwards, and flew apart, separating into pieces.

"Three become one… Unite to form a greater force…"

The pieces fit together again, but into one creature…

"Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!"

A Magnet Warrior twice the size of the others rose on Ben's side of the field. It more or less looked like it had been pieced together from the parts of its component Monsters: It had Beta's torso with Alpha's helmet for a head, Gamma's wings, and limbs that seemed to come from all three of them. It was armed with Alpha's sword, and had the letters S and N printed on its joints. (3,500 ATK)

"Nice job!" said Kesto, as he clapped. "Very few duelists can summon that creature…"

"I'm not done…" said Ben, with a grin. "I use Valkyrion's effect, and sacrifice it to Special Summon all three of the lesser Magnet Warriors."

Valkyrion vanished, and Alpha (1,400 ATK), Beta (1,700 ATK) and Gamma (1,500 ATK) appeared where it had been.

"Then…" said Ben, as he held up another card, "I sacrifice them again…"

The three Magnet Warriors turned into orbs of light.

"…to summon a second Magna Warrior!"

Valkyrion appeared once again. (3,500 ATK)

"It might seem pointless, but…"

_Don't tell me he's going to… _thought Kesto.

Ben's facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed.

With another burst of energy, the first Valkyrion appeared next to the second. (3,500 ATK)

"See…" said Ben. "One is good… Two is twice as good…

"Attack Silent Swordsman! Magnetic blade!"

Then first Valkyrion flew towards the Warrior, lifting its sword.

"I use the effect of Gilded Aura!" shouted Kesto.

Silent Swordsman blocked Valkyrion's blow with his own sword. Ben drew one card; the Appropriate card glowed, and Kesto drew twice.

"Good thing I can attack again," said Ben. "Second Valkyrion… Finish what your brother started."

The second Valkyrion made a slash at Silent Swordsman. He grunted, and then dropped his weapon before bursting into pixels.

_Unbelievable… _thought Kesto.

"Now that I can play Spell Cards again," said Ben, "I'll play Supremacy Berry."

He played the card, and then a golden aura surrounded him.

"I'll set this card facedown, and take a break."

A set card appeared in his Spell Zone.

**(B: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 5,500)**

Kesto drew a card.

Then he adjusted his special glasses slightly with his free hand.

_Just as I thought, _he said. _Ben's gotten his second wind, and that Disk is clearly showing it…_

He turned towards the quill pen, which was now on the fifth page.

He looked over his hand of seven cards.

"Silent Magician cannot possibly gain any more power in her Level 4 form," he continued. "So, by shedding this form, she can evolve…"

Silent Magician floated off the ground, as magical motes and orbs surrounded her. Light consumed her…

"…to Silent Magician LV8!"

There was a blast of light, and an adult version of Silent Magician was now standing where the child had been. She was beautiful, with a near-perfect complexion and platinum blonde hair, wearing an adult version of the outfit that her previous form had worn, holding a longer scepter.

"You may be able to play Spell Cards," said Kesto, "but she's immune to them…"

He took two of his cards, and set them in his Disk. Two facedown cards appeared in the last two slots in his Spell Zone.

Then, the facedown card he had set the previously lifted up.

"I activate Shield Spear!" he exclaimed. "It boosts both my Monster's Scores by 400 for one round."

(3,900 ATK)

"Attack! Solar blast!"

Silent Magician fired a burning beam of energy with her scepter, and one of the two Valkyrions was blown to dust.

"Well, one down…" said Ben, nervously.

"I end my turn…" said Kesto, as Silent Magician fell back to her base Attack Score.

**(B: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 5,500)**

_Not good, _thought Ben. _Silent Magician and Valkyrion have equal Attack Points…_

_Even if I launch an attack that could defeat her, Gilded Aura will prevent it…_

He made a draw.

_Hmm… This could work, if I could just…_

"I activate a Trap!" exclaimed Kesto.

"Huh?" said Ben.

One of Kesto's two facedown cards lifted up.

"Karma Cut! By ditching one card…"

He discarded a card, Shining Angel.

"…I can remove your Monster from play!"

A blast of energy formed, and shot towards Valkyrion.

Then Ben broke out in a big grin.

"Seems you just solved my problem!" he laughed.

His facedown card shot up.

"A Counter Trap?" asked Kesto.

"No, but a powerful one," said Ben. "It's called Magnet Force. I activate it, and it lets me change the target of any card effect directed at one of my Rock or Machine-Type Monsters.

"So… Instead of your Karma Cut hitting Valkyrion, it will be headed straight towards Silent Magician!"

A look of panic appeared on the Spellcaster's face as the blast of energy did a complete 180…

"I can't believe this…" said Kesto, as his other facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Level Repel! It negates any Spell or Trap that targets a Leveled Monster… But I have to get rid of two of my own Spells or Traps to do it."

Appropriate and Gilded Aura vanished. Then Karma Cut shattered. Silent Magician let out a sigh of relief.

Kesto sighed too.

"Unfortunately…" he said, "it couldn't counter your Magnet Force… It could only counter the Trap that had actually targeted Silent Magician, which thanks to your Trap Card, was Karma Cut.

"I never _dreamed_ I'd have to use that Trap to counter one of my _own _cards…"

Then he chuckled.

"You gotta admit, that's… kinda funny…"

_Now's my chance… _thought Ben.

"I separate Valkyrion into the three lesser Magnet Warriors again!" he exclaimed.

Once again, Valkyrion vanished, and Alpha (1,400 ATK), Beta (1,700 ATK) and Gamma (1,500 ATK) appeared.

"Now I play… Union Attack," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "By playing this, only one of my Monsters may attack this round…"

Alpha glowed with fiery energy.

"…but he does so with Beta and Gamma's Attack Scores backing him up!"

(4,600 ATK)

"GO! Take down Silent Magician!"

Alpha flew at Silent Magician, and she screamed right before its sword slammed into her. She shattered into pieces.

_Whoa… _thought Kesto.

"At least you didn't lose any Life Points," said Ben.

He played another Spell Card, and Monster Reincarnation appeared in front of him.

"I'll ditch one card…" he said, discarding a Giant Rat, "and get back my Valkyrion…"

He took Valkyrion from his discard slot.

"Then, once again, I'll sacrifice the three Magnet Warriors…" he continued.

The three robots turned into orbs of light again, and Valkyrion appeared in a flash. (3,500 ATK)

Ben set his last two cards into his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared behind Valkyrion.

"That will be all for now."

Kesto made a draw.

_Clearly Ben is an exceptional duelist, _thought the gnome. _Well… It isn't over yet… And this old dog knows a few new tricks…_

"This card should look familiar to you," he said, as he played a Spell Card.

"Level Modulation?" asked Ben.

"That's right," said Kesto. "You know the drill."

Ben made two draws, but he was surprised to see the Level 4 version of Silent Magician appear. (1,000 ATK)

"Why her?" asked Ben. "Why not Silent Magician LV8?"

"Because a Monster summoned with Level Modulation can't attack the same turn," replied Kesto. "However… I can get around that little problem…"

He played a second Spell Card.

"Level Up!" he exclaimed. "It lets me skip a step, and evolve Silent Magician one step up the ladder instantly. And with her, that's all she needs."

In a flash, Silent Magician LV4 vanished, and Silent Magician LV8 appeared. (3,500 ATK)

"And she _can _attack this round…" said Ben.

"That's right," said Kesto, "and she will, once I Equip your Monster with Darkworld Shackles!"

He played a Spell Card, and a mass of chains grabbed Valkyrion. Its Attack Score plummeted to a mere 100.

"Not this time!" shouted Ben, as a facedown card lifted up. "I activate Threatening Roar!"

"Hmm…" said Kesto. "Well… Maybe next turn… Just remember… That Equip Spell will also cost you 500 Life Points during each of my Standby Phases…"

He played another Spell Card.

"While you're thinking of that, I play Pot of Avarice…"

He took all three Silent Swordsmen, Silent Magician LV4, and Shining Angel from his discard slot, shuffled them into his deck, and made two draws.

"I'll set two cards," he said, as two facedown cards appeared, "and then I'm done for now…"

Ben made a draw.

Then he grinned.

"It was nice using Valkyrion," he said, "but it's time to move on…"

"How so?" asked Kesto.

Ben's facedown card lifted up.

"I play Trap Stun!" he exclaimed. "This puts your Trap Cards out of commission for the rest of the round.

"And now that the cost is clear, I can sacrifice Valkyrion…"

The Magna Warrior turned into an orb of light.

"…for the powerful Plasma Warrior Eitom!"

There was a crash as a new robot, crackling with electricity, landed on Ben's side of the field, one just as big as Valkyrion. It had violet armor, thick limbs, a visor on its face with a glowing optic sensor, and four long nodes sprouting from its shoulders that sparked with electricity. (3,000 ATK)

"Whoa…" said Kesto. "Never saw _that _before… But Silent Magician is stronger…"

"She's not the target…" said Ben. "By cutting its Attack Points in half, it can attack directly.

"Attack! Plasma cannon!"

Plasma Warrior Eitom's Attack Score fell to 1,500, and it blasted a bolt of pure energy from its chest plate. Kesto grunted and fell on his rump.

**(B: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,000)**

Ben took the last two cards in his hand, and set them in his Disk. Two facedown cards appeared behind Eitom.

"Mmm!" he said.

"Oh my…" said Kesto, getting up. "My, my, my…"

He made a draw.

_One of those two set cards is clearly dangerous… _he thought. _Well… Let's see whose luck is better…_

"I play Card of Disdain!" he exclaimed, as he played a Spell Card. "You've got two set cards in your Spell Zone… So now I choose one of them…

"And the one I choose is rendered unusable for the rest of the turn."

A sharp purple gemstone impaled the set card on the right. Ben looked at it. 

Ben glared at Kesto.

_He sure has a poker face… _thought Kesto. _To attack or not to attack…_

"No hurry…" said Ben.

Kesto grinned.

_He's trying to psyche me out and it won't work, _he thought.

"Now then…" continued Kesto. "Silent Magician… Attack Plasma Warrior Eitom!"

Silent Magician aimed her staff.

"Sorry Kesto…" said Ben, with a grin.

His other facedown card lifted up.

"You guessed wrong!"

"Rush Recklessly?" exclaimed Kesto.

"That's right," said Ben, as Eitom's Attack Score went up to 3,700. "Of course, since I activated the card you didn't choose, I lose 800 Life Points… But it's worth it…"

Eitom fired its blast, and Silent Magician was blown to pieces again.

**(B: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 3,800)**

_Unbelievable… _thought Kesto. _Not only is the Disk's power great, so is Ben's own ability…_

_Now the true test comes… His Trap Stun is no longer in effect, I have Bottomless Trap Hole and Magic Cylinder set from last turn, and he has no cards in his hand…_

_Can he still be victorious?_

"I end my turn," he said.

Ben made a draw. He looked at the card.

His other set card lifted up.

"Silent Doom?" asked Kesto. "So that one was a bluff, huh?"

"Yes," said Ben, "but I can use it now… You see, Kesto, there's a reason why my deck lacks all too many Trap Cards…"

Alpha appeared next to Eitom, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,700 DEF)

"I sacrifice Alpha…"

Alpha vanished into an orb of darkness…

A tall, imposing form materialized in front of Ben…

"Jinzo!" shouted Kesto.

It was indeed Jinzo. There was no mistaking the android with the distinctive cranium, lenses covering the eyes, and fanged grill covering its lower face, along with the black coat. (2,400 ATK)

_This is going to sting, _thought Kesto, as he looked at the two Monsters.

"Eitom, Jinzo," ordered Ben, "end this duel!"

A blast of energy seemed overpowering as Eitom blasted its plasma cannon and Jinzo shot its cyber energy shock. Kesto staggered against the onslaught, and was knocked backwards.

**(B: 2,000) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 0)**

Ben looked as Kesto got up, rubbing his head. He noticed that the quill pen had stopped writing.

_So now what? _he thought.

The old gnome slowly got up. A worried look was on his face. For a minute, Ben feared that he had been too rough…

But then Kesto put on his regular spectacles, and picked up the pages that the quill pen had written on. He started to leaf through them. Then he picked up a book beside them.

"Give me fifteen minutes, Ben," he said. "But I warn you…

"I might be able to give you some answers… But you may not like them all once you hear them…"

"I never expected to…" sighed Ben.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this moment, Tiberius entered a dimly lit and very cluttered room. Alchemical equipment and occult paraphernalia was everywhere, right down to a bubbling cauldron in the center.

"Xane!" he shouted. "Are you in here?"

_She could hide a battleship in this mess, _he thought.

Then a withered old crone dressed in a black robe appeared from out of the shadows.

"I am always here," she replied.

Tiberius looked at her.

"You give me the creeps, you know..." he said. "And seeing as I'm a Doomdreamer, that's saying a lot."

"I am no Doomdreamer..." said the old witch. "Nor do I care about the god you worship... I only serve you because of our bargain."

"Yes, yes, fine..." he replied. "Look... We need to throw the Shadowchasers off guard. Possibly throw some serious fear into them. I think it's time for our little Ghost in the Machine, so to speak."

He held up a flash drive.

"The last time those moronic machines did anything for you," said Xane, "one of them malfunctioned and nearly vaporized Wrigley Field."

"Everyone makes mistakes," said Tiberius, with a sigh. "Anyway, they're upgraded now, and that mistake should be corrected. I just need you to… upgrade them further with that way you mentioned before…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"First of all, Ben," said Kesto, looking through the scrolls, "there can be no doubt… You're cursed.

"Now, curses come in six degrees of power: embarrassing, debilitating, hazardous, dangerous, lethal, and eternal. An embarrassing curse is the type that a hedge mage might cast, which could give the victim a rash for a day or two or make his skin green. Debilitating curses might give the victim a bad cold, or make bees attracted to him… Now, hazardous curses…"

"Just get to the point!" shouted Ben. "What kind do I have?"

Kesto sighed.

"The worst kind, I'm afraid..." he said, as he put the papers down. "Eternal.

"Eternal curses rarely actually last as long as the name implies, but they are so powerful, they can affect whole family lines, for hundreds of years. They might continue to curse the victim's spirit after he dies. In your case, you appear unable to die at all. If what you say is true. Usually, only beings with godlike powers can inflict eternal curses. They're beyond the powers of mortals to inflict."

"I thought you folks thought that the gods' powers were a sham," said Ben.

Kesto laughed nervously.

"Ben, saying that the gods aren't powerful would be _incredibly _foolish," he replied. "That's the mistake that Sezzik Tam made. They're _unbelievably _powerful. We simply don't think that having power necessarily makes them deserving of worship.

"But getting back to you... This is grim, yes, but there is hope... This Duel Disk is a link to the Escape Clause."

"Escape Clause?" asked Ben.

He looked at the Duel Disk.

"All serious curses have Escape Clauses," replied Kesto, "some way of lifting them. In fact, if a magical affliction is truly incurable, it can't truly be classified as a curse. A bloodthirsty pirate who loots a town and burns it to the ground might be cursed by a survivor, so that his crew suffers from unfavorable weather and bouts of scurvy... But... The curse might be lifted if he makes amends to the heirs of his victims. That's the Escape Clause.

"If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that lifting this curse would involve dueling someone. Of course, knowing _exactly_ how to enact this Escape Clause would require knowing how you acquired this curse to begin with..."

Ben sighed.

"And with my amnesia, I have no idea..." he said.

"For all we know..." said Kesto, "your inability to remember may be part of the curse. I suspect that your memory may return eventually, and if legends and myths where curses are involved are any indication, it will likely happen at an inopportune time. But the Duel Disk is the link to the Escape Clause. Whatever means there is of enacting it, the Duel Disk is the tool you must use to somehow do so. Remember that..."

He looked at Ben.

"Can I give you a ride home?"

Without waiting for an answer, he waved his arm, and the portal opened again.

"This will take you back to the penthouse just before your hosts get there," he said.

"Good luck my friend…"

They shook hands, and Ben hastily exited through the portal.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ben sat on the couch silently as the three Shadowchasers entered. Bartholomew brought in lemonade, winking to him as he did. After going over all the events of the morning and early afternoon, Karl found that an e-mail had been left for him on his account. And when he opened it, he found that it was a response to what he was looking for: Information on those strange things that Panik had called the Obex of Darkness.

"I gotta hand it to Ferdinand," said Karl. "He delivers. Look here... In 1991, the Shadowchasers busted up a cult of the demon god Shma Taka in Seattle. The head priest of the cult had this same obex amulet.

"The same amulet was found worn by the head priestess of the cult of Martinus, in Quebec City five years later. Same with the cult of Juvala in 2010, and the one behind the Cult of Love incident in 2015.

"All of these cults were pretty depraved… Even the least powerful of them was responsible for twice as many murders as David Berkowitz.

"Well… If you believe that he acted alone, that is…"

The Son of Sam killings had been investigated by the New York City Shadowchasers when the possibility was brought to light that a demonic cult might have been behind it. When Berkowitz was apprehended and no proof was found that he had any actual dark powers (or any real proof that there was a cult at all), they left him to the Mundane authorities. Still, there were just as many theories among the Shadowchasers as there were among the NYPD that Berkowitz might have had accomplices.

"So this amulet is the symbol of not one demon, but several?" asked Nichole.

"Maybe not..." said Karl. "All of these small cults had five leaders. Four of them were elementalist wizards, each practitioners of a different form of elementalism. The fifth leader was the overseer of the other four, and was the one who had this amulet.

"Sound familiar?"

"It's like all of these cults were really worshipping... The Elder Elemental Eye..." said Dugan.

"And the overseer, the one who had this amulet, was the only one who knew the truth..." continued Karl. "Who the god truly was."

"Tharizdun..." said Ben, speaking up.

Everyone looked at him.

"Uh... You know about that?" asked Dugan.

"Well, he seems to recognize at least some members of this new group that's showed up..." replied Nichole.

Tharizdun, also known as the Dark God, the Mad God, and given his situation, the Chained God, was a deity of madness, destruction, and elemental forces. His goal long ago had been to eradicate and consume all of existence, but all the other gods working together had defeated him, and locked him away in a hidden prison dimension.

The thing about Tharizdun was, his name was so reviled, he tried his best to keep his influence and presence hidden. He didn't advertise his power, and even those who worshipped him nowadays often didn't realize who they were worshipping. Some cultists believed that they were only worshipping the destructive powers of the elements, while others devoted themselves to an entity called the Elder Elemental Eye, which was actually just one of Tharizdun's pseudonyms.

Tharizdun had even in history used other gods and demon lords as dupes, having temples built to them, and secretly using them as proxies to gain power through them. The Demon Lady of Fungi Zuggtmoy had made a terrible mistake by trusting his cultists centuries ago, and as a result of being Tharizdun's patsy, was still trying to recover her full power today.

It was _incredibly _rare to find more than one dark cultist in one place who worshipped Tharizdun who actually knew his patron's true identity and motivations. Those who did were insane nihilists and fanatics with one central goal – to find a way to free their god from his prison. Some believed that they would be spared the apocalyptic destruction he would cause, while others were so mad that they simply didn't care.

"If I had to venture a guess," said Karl, "I'd say this amulet is used by some cult who worships Tharizdun as he is. No deception, no proxies… They're actual worshippers of the Dark God."

"And that means trouble..." added Nichole. "This explains the Mean Emcee using divine magic... He is, or was, part of a cult that worshipped a god of madness. He certainly fit the bill.

"So… Where do we go from here?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MAGNET FORCE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Two blasts of energy between a magnet pole labeled "N" and one labeled "S".

**Card Description: **Until the End Phase, if any Machine or Rock-Type Monsters you control are targeted by card effects, you may switch the target of the effects to another face-up Monster.

_Note: "Magnet Force" was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode "The Final Duel (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CARD OF DISTRAIN (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Three set Spell or Trap Cards with a sharp, violet, glowing shard piercing the center of the middle one.

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent controls 2 or more set cards in his Spell/Trap Zone. Select one of them. The selected card cannot be activated this turn. During the turn this card is activated, your opponent takes 800 points of damage each time he activates another set Spell or Trap Card.

_Note: "Card of Distrain" was first used by Jeager in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Surely You Jest (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PLASMA WARRIOR EITOM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Thunder/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned by Tributing a Level 7 or higher Monster you control. This card may attack your opponent directly; when it does so using this effect, reduce the Battle Damage done by half.

_Note: "Plasma Warrior Eitom" was first used by Misawa in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Magnetic Personality". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TWO-MAN AMBUSH (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **Six Samurai Zanji chasing Mezuki towards a large tree that Six Samurai Irou is hiding behind with his sword drawn.

**Card Description: **Activate when a Monster you control attacks an opposing Monster and does not destroy it. Discard 1 card from your hand to increase the ATK of 1 other Monster you control by the base ATK of the Monster that previously attacked until the End Phase of the turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GILDED AURA (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **The Goblin of Greed wearing a sparkling overcoat made of gold foil.

**Card Description: **Once per turn, you can prevent one Monster you control from being destroyed by battle. When you use this effect, your opponent draws one card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LEVEL REPEL (Trap Card)**

**Counter Trap**

**Image: **Silent Magician LV8 with her hands in a praying position surrounded by a dome of energy which is blocking a blast of fire from Tyrant Dragon.

**Card Description: **Activate when a "LV" Monster you control is targeted by the effect of a Spell or Trap Card. Destroy 2 Spell and/or Trap Cards you control to negate the activation of that Spell or Trap Card and destroy it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Dugan: It seems this strange day isn't over, because an invitation is dropped into our laps that takes Karl, Nichole, and myself to three sites in Chicago. What is the purpose of this odd maneuver by the group we have now learned is a cult of possibly the worst divine being in the cosmos? Any plan by Tharizdun's worshippers likely involves freeing him, so we cannot ignore this invitation, even though it is likely a trap. **_

_**At Buckingham Fountain, I am confronted by a strange duelist who seems familiar in some way, whose strategy would seem laughable on the surface if not for the fact that he's holding my Scrap Dragon and its powerful effect at bay. **_

"_**Micro Red; Defensive Deck" is coming soon.**_


	18. Micro Red, Defensive Deck

_Hi everyone… I knew this chapter is a little late in coming… Stupid addictive Pokemon Black… Anyway, enjoy…_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL EIGHTEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Micro Red**

**Defensive Deck**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"So if there's a temple to the Dark God somewhere in this city," said Nichole, "where could it be?"

"That's the weird part," said Karl, who was typing at the computer. "See, temples dedicated to the Elder Elemental Eye tend to be average, as far as the temples of Shadowkind deities go…

"But according to legend, temples that are actually dedicated to…"

He shivered.

"…Tharizdun…" he continued, hesitating to say the cursed name, "they tend to be more… extravagant…"

"Extravagant?" asked Dugan.

"Dens of evil unlike the world has ever seen…" said Karl, turning away from the computer. "Places where demons and mortals share living space… Places where blasphemous experiments and unholy rituals that would frighten Charles Manson are conducted… Places with nightmarish dark magic…

"The point is, such a place would doubtlessly be hidden, but it would obviously exude negative energy like a giant power plant of evil…"

"A 'chill grill'…" said Dugan.

"Exactly…" said Karl. "It would be almost impossible to hide from the Shadowchasers… The equipment we have at this penthouse should be able to detect such a source of negative energy, to say nothing of what Shadowchaser Headquarters could detect. But if this temple does exist in Chicago, then somehow, it's hiding the aura pretty well…

"There haven't been any real chill grills in this city since well before we were born… Since 1934 in fact, when an atropal manifested here…"

"Jalal talks about that when he wants to scare someone," said Nichole, ominously. "It radiated an aura of negative energy so powerful, any living thing that even came near it risked dying. Jalal had to confront it personally, because he was the only Shadowchaser who wouldn't succumb to its death ward."

"He couldn't be killed…" said Dugan, as his brow furrowed. "But even so, the atropal's foul presence caused him so much pain, he had nightmares for months after killing it, and it took five years for the lingering dark aura where the thing died to fade entirely."

"Whoa…" said Ben. "Jalal fought an atropal and won?"

"He's fought nastier creatures," said Dugan. "And we don't think he's told us the worst. You see, he…

"What's that smell?"

It was a smell like burning rubber. Everyone turned towards the dining room table, where the unholy symbols they had confiscated were lying. They were now smoking, and starting to melt.

Before they could do anything, the stone they were made of melted into a big puddle of black goo on the table.

"Lovely!" said Bartholomew. "Now we're gonna need a new tablecloth…"

"Damn, I should have known those things could have been trouble," said Dugan, holding his nose. "Bartholomew, pills… We can't be too safe…"

Bartholomew rushed to the kitchen as Dugan looked at the mess.

"Hello?" said Dugan.

A piece of foil had appeared in the center of the puddle of goo.

Dugan opened a drawer in the desk, and took out a pair of gloves. He put them on, and then carefully reached for the piece of foil, his other hand still covering his nose.

Bartholomew rushed back in with five glasses of water and a bottle of pills – the pills were magical potions concentrated into pill form, meant to remedy poison. He passed one out to everyone, himself included.

"Doesn't seem dangerous yet…" said Dugan.

They quickly swallowed the pills. After making sure nothing else was about to happen, Dugan examined the foil.

"Seems we've been invited, people," he said. "I doubt that was poison after all…"

A note was written on the foil in black letters.

_If you want answers, I have them, but I won't give them without a fight. Come to the locations below, and bring Duel Disks._

_- Micro_

"Micro?" said Nichole. "As in very small?"

"Or maybe microchip, or microprocessor," said Karl. "But there are three locations here, so it clearly wants to meet with all three of us separately. I think this is more than one person."

"Buckingham Fountain…" said Dugan, "Union Station… And the Field Museum of Natural History..."

"Oh!" said Nichole. "I'll check out that one!"

Nichole's fondness for museums was well-known. The Field Museum of Natural History was closed right now as it was setting up its new Egyptian exhibit, and getting a sneak peak would be a dream come true for her.

"All right, we'll each take one," said Dugan. "But let's keep in contact this time…

"Ben…"

He grabbed the television remote, and hit a code on it.

"I just unlocked the premium channels," he said. "Stay put this time, okay?"

Ben sighed and sat on the couch. Clearly his two trips out on his own were not as secret as he thought they were…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Buckingham Fountain.

Residing in Grant Park, it was one of the largest fountains in the world, and was considered to be Chicago's front door. It represented Lake Michigan, with its four sea horse statues representing Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana, the four states that bordered the lake. It was built in a rococo wedding cake style that was inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles.

Every hour on the hour, from eight AM to eleven PM, the fountain began a display that lasted twenty minutes. At night, the water was accompanied by a light and music show. This went from mid-April to mid-October, although the fountain did have its moments at other times, like during the holiday season when it was covered with Christmas lights.

As Dugan dismounted his D-Wheel, he checked his watch. Ten minutes to five.

"So where's this Micro guy?" he asked.

Then there was a weird humming noise, and a figure literally appeared out of mid-air ten feet from him. Dugan quickly pointed his blunderbuss.

He lifted an eyebrow. It was a strange-looking man, wearing leather trousers, a red jacket, and sunglasses. He had red hair; not red like the usual redhead, but red like red lipstick.

"Boy, you are jumpy," said the strange man.

"You never know what to expect in this line of work," said Dugan. "Heck, you might even come across someone who can turn himself invisible…

"You know… As strange as you look… You kind of look familiar… Have we met?"

"Hard to say, actually," said the strange man. "I'm Micro Red.

"Before you ask, no, I do not worship the Dark God, I merely work for someone who does…"

He quickly slipped a Duel Disk onto his arm with one fluid motion.

"As you already noticed, I can turn myself invisible," he continued, "so your chances of forcing anything out of me are slim…

"But… Should I be defeated in a duel, I might reveal something… I should warn you though… I'm no pushover…"

"How many times have I heard that before?" asked Dugan.

He activated his Duel Disk.

"Fine, Micro Red…" he said. "I'll duel you if I have to… I've already beaten one of the biggest, nastiest Monsters in the game today."

"You've beaten a big Monster," replied Micro, "but you'll soon find that smaller ones can be even more dangerous."

"What, you mean Human Wave?" asked Dugan. "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt to prove it."

"Just duel…" said Micro, with a grin.

As the Life Point counters set, Buckingham Fountain began its display…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the old crone that Tiberius was meeting with had cast a viewing portal through which they were watching Dugan and Micro Red.

"So, those things you put in their chests…" asked Tiberius. "You called them 'orbs of silvery death'?"

"No, they are replicas," replied Xane, "created by the true Orb of Silvery Death, which were given to me years ago by its owner, Domonous. The replicas are nowhere near as powerful as the true Orb – because I used the spell to unlock their power, they will stop working after ten hours.

"But the Orb of Silvery Death is one of the few artifacts that can defy the gods. It was created by a cabal of powerful ur-priests who sought knowledge that the gods jealously coveted. It was their greatest success… Gods are blind to its power and anyone who uses it.

"During the time that the replicas function, those androids will be invisible to all divine beings and their servants. Neither Domiel nor his disciples know of their programming, or even that they exist."

Tiberius gave her a strange look.

"You're pretty brave speaking his name," he said.

"I am not scared of him," replied Xane. "Like I said, I couldn't care less about your twisted goals."

"Whatever," said Tiberius with a shrug. "So why exactly can't a living assassin use these replicas?"

Xane looked at him.

"Suffice to say if you saw what effect the true Orb of Silvery Death had on Domonous, you'd know exactly why," she replied.

"What?" he asked.

"Trust me," replied Xane, "you don't want to know.

"Besides, when I said all gods, I mean _all, _no exceptions. That includes yours, and as a servant of Tharizdun, _you. _If I had given one of them to one of your servants, and he got in serious trouble, you wouldn't be able to help him. It's only via my arcane magic that you are able to watch the duel at all."

Tiberius sighed. He _really _hoped that the upgrade had fixed the problem that had caused them to malfunction the last time…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**(Dugan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Micro Red: 8,000)**

"I draw one card…" said Micro.

He made a draw.

"…and I think I'll end my turn there…"

Dugan glared at him.

_Again? _he thought. _Is this guy pulling the same trick that Scully did?_

He drew a card.

It was Mirror Force.

He looked at Micro. Then he set it in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"I summon Scrap Beast!" he exclaimed.

With a growl, Scrap Beast leapt onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

"Attack directly!"

Scrap Beast leapt at Micro, pouncing into him and knocking him down.

Micro got up, and dusted himself off.

"Thank you…" he said. "I was hoping for an attack…

"Because since I took at least 1,000 points of damage, I can now Special Summon… THIS creature!"

He threw a card on his Disk, and a creature appeared which was not at all what Dugan was expecting. Neither Gorz nor Tragoedia, it resembled a humanoid crocodile standing upright, with wet hair down its back and watery eyes. (2,000 DEF)

"What in the name of…" said Dugan.

"Meet Ruklamba the Spirit King," said Micro. "I'll get to what else he can do in a minute… Anything else?"

Dugan paused.

"I'll set one more facedown card," he said, as another card appeared beside the first, "and I end my turn…"

**(D: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,400)**

"Then I draw!" said Micro, drawing a card.

"Then, I use Ruklamba's effect. By sacrificing it, like so…"

Ruklamba vanished into an orb of light.

"I get to Special Summon as many Monsters as I desire, so long as their Attack Scores total no more than 2,000.

"I'll start with Holding-Hands Majin…"

Dugan had never seen this Monster before either. It was a silly-looking imp with orange skin, purple wings, a big grin, huge hands, and a shock of purple hair, wearing a breechcloth. (1,600 DEF)

"And I'll follow up with Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness," continued Micro.

Dugan had seen this Monster, but he didn't think anyone would play it. It was a woodchuck (or some similar animal) with a unicorn-like horn and bat-like wings, holding a big acorn. (600 DEF)

"…and finally, Masked Clown."

A third Monster appeared, a nasty-looking thing with a demonic mask and a pointed cap, holding a sickle. It had no legs, its lower body trailing off into a long tendril. (700 DEF)

"My Marmot and Clown are just Normal Monsters," said Micro, "but Holding-Hands Majin is a special Monster… It gains the Defense Points of all my other Monsters."

(2,900 DEF)

"Good lord…" said Dugan.

"And that's not all," continued Micro. "He's the only Monster you're allowed to attack!

"I'll set two cards facedown, and then play a Continuous Spell known as Heart of the Underdog…"

He threw three cards in his Disk. Two facedown cards appeared, and a Continuous Spell followed. Dugan knew this card well… And he knew it was powerful.

"I end my turn…" said Micro.

Dugan made a draw.

"I play… The Scrapyard Spell Card!" he exclaimed, as he threw a card into his Disk.

A card slipped out of his deck.

"By doing so," he said as he took it, "I'm allowed to take any Tuner with the word 'Scrap' in its name from my deck.

"Next, I play Foolish Burial."

He played the Spell Card, and took another card from his deck, and then discarded it.

"Next, I Special Summon my Scrap Orthros."

In a flash, the two-headed version of Scrap Beast appeared. (1,700 ATK)

"By doing that, Scrap Beast is destroyed…"

Scrap Beast shattered into shards.

"…but by doing _that, _I get to recover Scrap Chimera from my Graveyard."

He took the card from his discard slot.

"Now I summon Scrap Chimera…"

The winged, lion-headed Beast appeared. (1,700 ATK)

"…and use its effect to bring back Scrap Beast again!"

Scrap Beast bounded onto the field yet again. (1,600 ATK)

"Nice combo…" said Macro, with a smile.

"I'm not done," said Dugan, as Scrap Chimera and Scrap Beast flew into the sky. "I'm Tuning these two Monsters together…"

The two Scraps faded into glowing stars…

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

Scrap Dragon landed, in all its glory. (2,800 ATK)

"It may not be able to defeat your Majin's Defense," said Dugan, "but I can destroy my set card to destroy it with Scrap Dragon's effect!"

His set Mirror Force shattered, and Scrap Dragon breathed a toxic cloud towards Holding-Hands Majin…

But when the cloud of poison cleared, the small Fiend was giggling, and one of Micro's facedown cards had activated.

"Scrum Force?" said Dugan.

"A powerful Continuous Trap," said Micro. "Because I have at least two Monsters in Defense Mode, none of them can be destroyed by card effects."

"I can't use my Dragon's effect to destroy your Monsters?" gasped Dugan.

"You can," replied Micro. "It just won't work!"

Dugan frowned.

"I have to end my turn…"

"I draw one card…" said Micro. "Incidentally, thanks to Heart of the Underdog, if the card I draw is a Normal Monster, I can show it to you, and then draw again."

He made a draw.

He flipped it forward.

"The Bewitching Phantom Thief," he said. "Guess I get to draw again…"

He drew.

"Well, this card doesn't qualify," he said. "So then, I'll summon The Bewitching Phantom Thief…"

In an aura of darkness, a gentleman thief wearing a long, dark cloak and a top hat, holding a cane appeared. (700 ATK) Holding-Hands Majin's Defense Score increased to 3,600.

"My turn is over."

_This is weird, _thought Dugan, as he made a draw. _Aside from Ruklamba and Holding-Hands Majin, his Monsters are all fan cards… Nothing but trade bait… Some duelists will tell you that there's no such thing as a worthless card, but even this philosophy has its limits…_

_And I can't shake the feeling that I've seen this guy before…_

"I summon Scrap Goblin," he said.

The small Beast-Warrior appeared next to the much bigger Dragon.

"I'm using Scrap Dragon's effect again!" he exclaimed. "I may not be able to destroy your Monsters, but I can destroy Scrum Force."

Scrap Goblin shattered and Scrap Dragon breathed a cloud of energy again…

"I activate… Imperial Custom!" exclaimed Micro, as another of his Trap Cards lifted up. "Now all of my Continuous Traps except this one _can't _be destroyed. Sorry…"

Dugan snarled.

"Due to Scrap Goblin's effect," he said, "I get to take Scrap Beast from my Graveyard…"

He took a card from his discard slot.

"I end my turn…" he said with a low growl.

Micro made a draw.

"I drew… Atlantean Pikeman," he said, turning forward, "so…"

He drew again.

"Millennium Shield," he said, showing the second card.

He drew a third time.

"Doron," he said, turning it around again.

He drew a fourth time.

"Mmm-hmm," he said, adding it to his hand. "Have to stop there…

"I'll move The Bewitching Phantom Thief to Defense Mode…"

The Spellcaster knelt and held his cane in his lap. (700 DEF)

"Then I'll summon Doron."

A Warrior appeared, clothed head to toe in an orange and green striped outfit. (900 ATK)

Holding-Hands Majin's Defense Score went up to 4,100.

"I'll set one more card facedown," he said, fitting a card into the fourth space in his Spell Zone, "and my turn is over."

"All you're doing is strengthening your defenses," said Dugan. "If you want to win this duel, you'll have to make an offensive move eventually…

"So what are you waiting for?"

"You'll soon see," said Micro, with a sly smile.

Dugan shrugged. He drew a card.

_Something is seriously wrong here, _he thought. _So far, he's been concentrating on upping the Defense Score of his Holding-Hands Majin by using its effect… And he's been using plain vanilla Level 2 Monsters to do it…_

_He drew Atlantean Pikeman on his last turn… It's also a plain vanilla Level 2 Monster… But it has a Defense Score of zero. It couldn't contribute to Holding-Hands Majin's score._

Then something hit him.

"NOW I remember you!" he shouted.

"Eh?" said Micro.

"You were that duel-bot who stole the Diamond Ray of Obliteration!" exclaimed Dugan. "You had black hair and a leather jacket back then, but it was still you… And you almost obliterated Wrigley Field!"

"Heh…" said Micro. "Can you blame me? The Cubs haven't had a decent season in years…"

"You notice I'm not laughing, pal…" said Dugan.

"It wasn't me," said Micro. "Well, actually, it was a different 'me'. That old model was destroyed, as you no doubt know. I'm rebuilt with new programming."

"So what's your function now?" asked Dugan.

"You'll soon see," said Micro. "It's still your turn."

"I know," said Dugan, "and I'm summoning Scrap Beast once again."

Scrap Beast leapt onto the field again.

"Then I destroy it to destroy Imperial Custom!"

Scrap Beast shattered, and this time, Scrap Dragon's effect was unopposed. Imperial Custom shattered into pixels.

"I use Scrap Beast's effect…"

Scrap Goblin slipped out of his discard slot, and he looked at it.

"Clever," said Micro. "Using Scrap Beast to recover Scrap Goblin and vice-versa. That way, you think you'll never run out of ammunition."

"If I have to destroy your wall brick by brick, then that's what I'll do," said Dugan. "Scrum Force is next.

"I end my turn…"

"Heh, heh, heh…" said Micro.

He drew a card.

"I play Card of Variation!" he exclaimed, as he played it. "I get to draw two cards now, but during my End Phase, I either discard a card, or take 3,000 points of damage."

He made two draws.

"Time for my true strategy to come to fruition," he said with a grin.

His facedown card lifted up.

"The first thing I'm doing," he continued, "is activating The Transmigration Prophecy. With this Trap Card, I choose two cards in either Graveyard, and return them to the owners' decks. So I choose Scrap Chimera and Scrap Beast."

The two cards appeared on Dugan's deck, and the auto-shuffler activated.

"I know all about that Dragon's other effect, and it's not going to happen," continued Micro.

"Now then… I move all four of my defensive Monsters to Attack Mode…"

The Bewitching Phantom Thief stood up. (700 ATK) Masked Clown got up and brandished its sickle. (500 ATK) The Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness put its acorn aside and prepared to pounce. (400 ATK) Finally, Holding-Hands Majin formed its big hands into fists. (1,000 ATK)

"But when they're in Attack Mode, they aren't protected by Scrum Force…" said Dugan.

"Exactly," said Micro, as a Spell Card appeared in front of him. "How else could I activate this?"

"Exile of the Wicked?" said Dugan. "But… That Spell destroys all Fiends on the field! And the only Fiend on the field is…"

A mob of spirits flew out of the card, and rushed at Holding-Hands Majin. The imp's grin turned to a look of fright before it shattered into pixels.

Dugan looked at him strange.

"Okay…" he said. "WHY did you do that?"

"I needed room for my Atlantean Pikeman," said Micro, as he played a card.

In a flash of light, a scaly fish-man holding an oversized pike appeared in the space where the Fiend had been. (1,400 ATK)

"Now I play… Thousand Energy!"

He quickly played a Spell Card.

"This gives all my Level 2 Normal Monsters 1,000 more Attack Points!"

The five Monsters crackled with electrical energy… (Masked Clown: 1,500 ATK) Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness: 1,400 ATK) (The Bewitching Phantom Thief: 1,700 ATK) (Doron: 1,900 ATK) (Atlantean Pikeman: 2,400 ATK)

_I don't get it… _thought Dugan. _Even his Atlantean Pikeman still isn't strong enough to defeat my Dragon…_

Then his eyes opened wide.

_Unless…_

"That's right, Major!" said Micro, with a big grin.

He played another Spell Card.

"It's the dreaded Spell called The Law of the Normal! I can only use this card when I control five Level 2 or lower Normal Monsters. Since I do, all cards on the field and in our hands that don't fit that description are wiped out of existence!"

Dugan shielded himself as an explosion blasted from the center of the duel field.

When he looked, Scrap Dragon, and Scrap Orthros were gone, as was Scrum Force and Heart of the Underdog and the three cards that had been in his hand.

"Seems you couldn't handle smaller Monsters, Major," said Micro. "Slay him, my miniature minions!"

Dugan braced himself as the five Monsters rushed him. The Bewitching Phantom Thief fired a bolt of black energy, Masked Clown slashed with its sickle, Archfiend Marmot of Nefariousness raked with its claws, Doron dashed at him, leaving a trail of illusory clones in its wake, and delivered a punch, and Atlantean Pikeman jabbed with its weapon…

Dugan held his chest… He took some deep breaths…

"Well?" said Micro. "Fall down! You should have no more Life Points!"

"Check the score…" said Dugan, glaring at him.

"Huh?" said Micro.

**(D: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,400)**

"Impossible!" shouted Micro. "I did the math… You should have lost 8,900 Life Points from that assault…

"Unless… unless…

"That facedown card you had! You must have chain-activated it somehow!"

Dugan took another deep breath.

"That's right," he said. "It was Destruct Potion. I used it to destroy Scrap Dragon before The Law of the Normal did, and I gained 2,800 Life Points by doing so."

"I…" said Micro. "I end my turn…"

"And because it is your End Phase, the side effect of Thousand Energy destroys your Monsters," said Dugan.

The five Monsters shattered into pixels.

"Plus, you played Card of Variation, remember? And because The Law of the Normal destroyed the last card in your hand, you can't discard any, so you take 3,000 points of damage."

Micro took off his sunglasses and threw them away. His eyes glowed red.

"Take your turn," he said, in a voice that was now colder and less human.

**(D: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,400)**

Dugan nervously made a draw. Was this duel-bot programmed to kill as well as duel? He could only be wary…

"I play… Scrap Lube," he said, playing the card.

As he played it, a large puddle of oil started forming on his side of the field.

"By doing so, I can Special Summon a Scrap from my Graveyard."

Scrap Dragon slowly rose out of the pool of oil. It glared at Micro. (2,800 ATK)

"But, I can't attack the same round I use it," continued Dugan. "So I end my turn."

Micro drew a card in one fluid motion.

"I play the Spell Card, Silent Doom," he said, in the same cold voice. "I can now Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode.

"I choose Millennium Shield."

He played the card, and a large golden shield with the Eye of Wdjat on the center rose up in front of him. (3,000 DEF)

_That's gonna be a tough nut to crack, _thought Dugan.

"I end my turn," said Micro.

Dugan drew a card.

He looked at it strangely, and then set it in his Disk. A facedown card appeared behind Scrap Dragon.

"End!" he said.

Micro made a draw.

"I play the Continuous Spell Card, The Dark Door," he said, as a Continuous Spell appeared in front of him.

"With this card in play, both players are only allowed to attack with one Monster per turn.

"My turn is over."

_Okay… _thought Dugan. _Need a winner here…_

He drew a card.

"I summon… Top Runner!" he exclaimed.

As he played the card, a new Monster sprinted onto the field, and landed beside Scrap Dragon with a flip. It was a streamlined robot made of silver metal, wearing running shoes and a gold Olympic-style medal. (1,100 ATK)

"Top Runner is a Tuner," said Dugan, "but he has a powerful effect on any Synchro I already have on the field. Such Synchros, like Scrap Dragon, gain 600 Attack Points."

Scrap Dragon roared… (3,400 ATK)

"Impressive," said Micro, in his cold monotone, "but due to The Dark Door, you can only attack once."

"Wrong," said Dugan.

"Eh?" said Micro.

"Your Spell Card says I can only attack with one Monster," explained Dugan. "If that one Monster can attack multiple times, then I can indeed attack more than once."

"Scrap Dragon, destroy Millennium Shield! Attack!"

Scrap Dragon breathed its blast of toxic energy, and the Shield shattered into bits of broken metal.

Dugan's facedown card lifted up.

"Now I activate… Lineage of Destruction!" he said. "Since a Monster in Defense Mode was destroyed, my Level 8 Monster gets a second attack!

"Scrap Dragon, attack directly with toxic blaze!"

Scrap Dragon blasted its bolt again, hitting the duel-bot squarely, and throwing him backwards, against the side of Buckingham Fountain.

**(D: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0)**

At first Dugan didn't know why there was so much smoke… Then he realized that it was coming from Micro.

The android was a sparking, broken, burned-out corpse of a machine. Clearly, his circuitry had been ruined, but losing the duel couldn't have done that.

"Someone didn't want us prying through his hard drive," muttered Dugan. "I doubt we'll be able to retrieve anything from it…"

He took out his cell phone.

"I'd better call the others…"

He dialed Karl. The line on the other end started to ring.

_Come on Karl, pick up…_

As he tried to get through, Tiberius watched, holding his chin in deep thought…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RUKLAMBA THE SPIRIT KING (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **If you take 1,000 or more points of Battle Damage from 1 attack, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. You may Tribute this card to Special Summon as many Monsters from your hand as possible whose combined Attack Scores total 2,000 or less.

_Note: "Ruklamba the Spirit King" was first used by Oshita in the original anime episode "Isolated in Cyber Space (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HOLDING-HANDS MAJIN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description: **You can only control 1 "Holding-Hands Majin". Your opponent cannot select other face-up Monsters you control as an attack target. While this card is in face-up Defense Position, it gains Defense Points equal to the combined DEF of all other face-up Monsters you control.

_Note: "Holding-Hands Majin" was first used by Team Taiyou in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" Episode 119. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SCRUM FORCE (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **Oscillo Hero, Beaver Warrior, Jerry Beans Man, and Thunder Kid standing shoulder to shoulder.

**Card Description: **When you control 2 or more face-up Defense Position Monsters, those Monsters cannot be destroyed by the effects of Monster, Spell, or Trap Cards.

_Note: "Holding-Hands Majin" and "Scrum Force" were first used by Team Taiyou in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode 119.__ Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Karl: Dugan has defeated Micro Red, but it seems that it was not a unique model. At Union Station, not the most inconspicuous place, another Micro has confronted me, this one in blue, and packing a completely different, but no less deadly strategy. **_

_**And even worse, he's pulled out another of those crazy Equip Spells!**_

_**This odd maneuver by this hidden enemy must have a purpose… Can I figure it out before they pull it off?**_

"_**Micro Blue; The Staff of Bones" is coming soon. **_


	19. Micro Blue, The Staff of Bones

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL NINETEEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Micro Blue**

**The Staff of Bones**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Any major metropolis would not be complete without a large train station; New York had Grand Central Station, one of the largest. Chicago's offering was Union Station. It stood on the west side of the Chicago River, just outside the Loop. It was about nine and a half city blocks in size, and almost completely underground, underneath the skyscrapers and streets.

It wasn't exactly the most inconspicuous place to have a battle, which Karl took note of as he walked through the main terminal, which was crowded with commuters, some of which were leaving the city and others who were just getting in. Especially now, seeing as rush hour was starting.

As he pondered this, his cell phone beeped.

_Text message, _he thought, as he looked at it.

He clicked on the key and looked at the text.

_I'll meet you at Gate 17, _it said.

"Hmm…" he said.

"_Gate 17?" _said Sal. _"One second…"_

She paused for a minute.

"_Yes, according to the station log, that gate is closed for maintenance. Still, you'd think someone would be there."_

"We'll just have to find out," said Karl.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Karl walked onto the seemingly deserted Gate 17, onto the platform next to the train tracks. He looked around.

"So don't places that are under construction usually have some workers?" he mused.

"I gave them an early break," said a voice.

Sal buzzed a warning, and he spun around, just in time to see another strange man appear out of mid-air. This looked almost exactly like Micro Red, except that he was blue – he had a blue jacket and blue hair.

"What planet are you from?" asked Karl.

"I am Micro Blue," said the twin of Micro Red. "And I'll be your opponent for this stage of your journey."

"_I know what 'planet' he's from," _said Sal._ "He's a duel-bot."_

Micro Blue scowled.

"You sure?" asked Karl.

"_Positive," _replied Sal. _"I'm an AI… It's no hard feat for me to recognize other AIs."_

"Okay, so your little friend ruined my secret," said Micro. "I might as well tell you the rest…

"I'm one of three Micros… The other two are dueling your two allies…

"And I should warn you, while all three of us will do our best to win, one of us contains a surprise hidden within…"

"What kind of surprise?" asked Karl, getting annoyed.

"Now if I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise, now would it?" asked Micro.

He activated his Duel Disk.

"Prepare for defeat!"

"Oh, we'll see about that," said Karl.

The two Duel Disks snapped into position…

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Micro Blue: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move…" said Micro, making a draw.

"I'll start out slowly…"

He set two cards on his Disk, and a hidden Monster and a hidden card in his Spell Zone appeared.

"And that will be that."

"My move…" said Karl, making his first draw.

"I'm bringing out Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier!"

In a chilling wind, the mystical, barehanded Warrior clad in furs materialized in front of him. (1,500 ATK)

"Go!" shouted Karl. "Gale strike!"

Pilgrim rushed at the facedown card, and a Zombie appeared on it – a Zombie that was in worse condition than even most Zombies. The advanced decay seemed to have made it bloated and disease-ridden. Strangely, it had bear-like arms and cloven hooves instead of feet.

Nonetheless, it was easily recognizable for someone as smart as Karl. And it was too late to stop Pilgrim from throwing a karate chop and smashing Plaguespreader Zombie to bits.

"Terrific…" said Karl.

"I take it you know about that Monster's effect," said Micro. "And that it's a Tuner that can summon several powerful Zombie-Type Synchros."

"I wouldn't exactly call three 'several'," said Karl.

"Actually, there's more than three," said Micro.

"Eh?" said Karl.

He searched his mind. Every duelist worth his salt knew that Plaguespreader Zombie was the required Tuner for Doomkaiser Dragon, Revived King Ha Des, and Archfiend Zombie-Skull.

There were others?

He looked at Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier.

_At least Pilgrim is safe from the ones I know about, _he thought. _They all have more than 1,900 Attack Points._

"I end my turn," he said.

Micro made a draw. Then he played a Spell Card.

"I play my Double Summon Spell Card," he said, "so I can make two Normal Summons this turn.

"For the first, I summon Clown Zombie."

With a cackling laugh, an undead version of Crass Clown, balancing on a ball and holding a scythe appeared in front of him. (1,350 ATK)

"And for my second," he continued, "I think I'll summon a second Clown Zombie."

With another cackle, a twin of the first undead clown appeared.

"Next, I use the effect of Plaguespreader Zombie. I place one card from my hand on the top of my deck…"

He took one of his two remaining cards, and slipped it on top of his deck.

"…and it returns to the field."

The decayed corpse appeared again. (400 ATK)

_Two non-Tuners and a total of six Levels… _thought Karl. _Looks like he's going for one of the more familiar Synchros…_

Then the three Zombies flew towards the ceiling, and turned into six glowing stars.

"_Now behold as the unholy power that revived these undead is harnessed to form a creature of unhallowed darkness…"_

**(*2 + *2 + *2 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Archfiend Zombie-Skull!"_

There was a bolt of lightning, and a rotting and decayed version of the famous Summoned Skull materialized where the three smaller Zombies had been. It let out a bellowing roar as electricity coursed over its hide. (2,500 ATK)

"_Look on the bright side, Karl," _said Sal. _"It may be incredibly powerful, and it protects all Zombies from being destroyed by card effects… But at least you know what it is."_

"Comforting words…" muttered Karl, looking at the huge Zombie.

"I end my turn," said Micro.

Karl's eyes opened wide. Even Pilgrim looked a little confused.

_Huh? _he thought. _He couldn't have destroyed Pilgrim, but… battle damage would have still applied if he had attacked…_

_And I had no facedown cards! Why the heck didn't he attack?_

He drew a card.

_Something suspicious is going on here, and I don't like it…_

He looked at the card.

_Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier? Just great… Of all the times I would have been delighted to have drawn it…_

"Pilgrim, move to Defense Mode," he said.

The Warrior knelt and crossed his arms over his chest. (1,000 DEF)

"Think I'll end my turn there…" he said.

Micro made a draw. He quickly played the card, which was Foolish Burial.

"I'll send this Monster to my Graveyard," he said, discarding a card, "but it won't stay there long…"

His facedown card activated.

"Call of the Haunted will bring it back…"

There was an aura of eerie, unholy energy, and a monolith of skulls and bones, forming a tall spire, rose out of the floor. (400 ATK)

"Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower!" gasped Karl.

"And once I play this card," said Micro, "it's going to be Towers, plural. I play Inferno Reckless Summon!"

The Spell Card appeared, and two more Bone Towers appeared on his side of the field. (400 ATK x2)

"And since I Special Summoned two Zombies," continued Micro, "the effect of the first Bone Tower activates."

Two cards flew off of Karl's deck and vanished.

But he chuckled. Then he laughed.

"What?" asked Micro. "The setup here is…"

"I see the setup," said Karl. "Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower can't be attacked so long as you have at least one other Zombie on the field. Three at once makes it an attack lock.

"What's more, Archfiend Zombie-Skull's presence means I can't destroy them with card effects.

"And what's more, each time you Special Summon a Zombie now, I'll lose _six _cards from my deck, two for each of them.

"It would seem like a deadly strategy, if it didn't have a flaw in it that you don't seem to realize – you have only one space remaining on your Monster Zone to summon with, Special or otherwise. Once you've done that, your whole Mill Deck Strategy is stopped cold until I draw a card to defeat it.

"Unless you have Zombie World in your deck, which will make MY Special Summons do the job, but…"

"Actually, I have a better way," said Micro. "And it may come clear sooner than you think…

"For now… I have to end my turn…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the penthouse, Ben and Bartholomew were watching the vintage science fiction channel.

"Let me see if I have the premise for this show right…" said Ben. "This guy and these robots were trapped on this space station and forced to watch really bad science fiction movies… And to keep their sanity, they provided a running commentary of them?"

"Basically," replied Bartholomew.

"And this show was popular way back in the 1990's?" asked Ben.

"Oh, it was," replied Bartholomew. "Trust me.

"I suppose it was thought up when someone decided he wanted to point out the absurdity of the B-movies that Hollywood had put out over the years… Show the world just how much trash has been made in the history of the silver screen."

"I just had a scary thought..." said Ben.

"Eh?" said Bartholomew.

"Directors agree to make bombs like _The Brain That Wouldn't Die _and _Night of the Creeps… _To this day they make horrible movies that would likely have been on this show…

"You gotta wonder what the screenplays these directors _rejected _were like…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's my move!" exclaimed Karl, drawing a card.

He held a card forward.

"To Special Summon this Spellcaster, my opponent has to have at least four cards more than I do on the field. Because you do…

"Meet Medium of the Ice Barrier!"

Colored lights, like an aurora in a localized area, appeared in front of Karl, and a woman appeared inside the aura. She was tall, lean, wore a blue dress, and had long, straight, green hair all the way down her back. Blue tears were tattooed on her cheeks. (2,200 ATK)

"Next, I play Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier," he said, as the Spell Card appeared in front of him. "I reveal three Ice Barrier Monsters in my hand…"

He turned three cards forward: Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier, Dai-sojo of the Ice Barrier, and Strategist of the Ice Barrier

"…and I first get to destroy one your cards."

"Forget?" asked Micro. "My Zombies can't be destroyed by Spells."

"But your Call of the Haunted can," replied Karl.

The Trap Card shattered into pixels.

"Your Zombies can't be destroyed by Traps either, so that doesn't destroy the Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower it summoned," continued Karl. "But I also get to Special Summon Dai-sojo of the Ice Barrier."

Another Spellcaster appeared, but this one was male. He wore a collie hat similar to the one that Geomancer of the Ice Barrier wore, blue pantaloons tied with a rope belt, and no shirt. He had long, grey hair. He knelt and crossed his arms. (2,200 DEF)

"Now, let me explain what these two can do," continued Karl. "So long as Medium is on the field, you're only allowed to use one Spell or Trap Card per turn.

"Dai-sojo has an even better effect. So long as he's around, the one Spell or Trap you use per round can't be used to destroy Monsters with the words 'Ice Barrier' in their names."

"Who cares?" said Micro. "My Skull can blast both of them out of existence."

"But not both in the same round," added Karl. "It's your move…"

"I draw one card…" said Micro.

He made a draw.

"_Karl!"_ shouted Sal. _"When he made that draw… I detected powerful unholy energy…"_

"What kind?" asked Karl. "Can you identify it?"

"_Yes I can…"_ replied Sal. _"It's a similar aura that I felt when Panik used that Crown of Azael card…"_

"Your little friend is very bright," said Micro. "Can it be that this card I just drew and the card that Panik had are related in some way?

"Well, that's for me to know and you to find out… I may only be able to play one Spell Card this turn, but one is all I need…

"I spend 1,000 Life Points to Equip this to Archfiend Zombie-Skull…"

_That's the same cost that the Crown of Azael had… _thought Karl.

Archfiend Zombie-Skull held up its hands, and a macabre weapon appeared in them. It looked like two femurs (each larger than the human norm) fused together into a long staff, topped with a skull that was _definitely _not a human one.

"Behold the Staff of Bones!" said Micro. "Legend says that this weapon was made by a yugoloth necromancer who bonded the leg bones of a balor and a pit fiend together with the skull of a rival yugoloth lord on the end. A general who held this staff controlled an unstoppable army on the battlefield – any soldier on _either _side who perished would rise as a zombie to fight on his side."

"Get to the point…" said Karl. "I'm not interested in stuff I can look up in textbooks. What does this Equip Spell do?"

"Well, your three Monsters on the field are safe," replied Micro, "because I have to skip my Battle Phase to use it… But anything in your Graveyard…"

Archfiend Zombie-Skull waved the Staff of Bones.

"…that's a different story."

Then a new Zombie appeared on Micro's side of the field. Karl gasped. It was Dewdark of the Ice Barrier!

Well, kind of. It was rather a skeleton wearing his clothes, which were now rotting with his hair still clinging to his skull. (1,200 ATK)

"What did you do to him?" shouted Karl.

"Technically, I removed his card from play," replied Micro, "and summoned a Bone Spawn Token to my side of the field with identical Attack and Defense Scores.

"And since this Token is a Zombie…"

The three Soul-Absorbing Bone Towers lit up, and six cards flew off of Karl's deck.

"So is this the surprise?" asked Karl.

"Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't," replied Micro. "I'll tell you later…

"It's your move…"

**(K: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,000)**

_I've gotta get rid of that Zombie-Skull fast, _thought Karl. _Attacking that undead Dewdark would be easy, but if I did, he could use the Staff's effect again…_

He drew a card.

_This guy can help…_

"I summon Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

A shadow crept onto the field, and then a mysterious looking Warrior wearing a blue robe, cowl, and veil, holding a long staff with a snowflake design on the end, formed out of the shadow. (1,500 ATK)

"This guy's effect is rather costly," said Karl. "I have to sacrifice him, and then destroy one Water Monster..."

The Shock Troop vanished into grains of light, and then Pilgrim shattered into pixels.

"In exchange for that, I get to take any Ice Barrier Monster I want from my deck."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

_This guy might just do the job, _he thought. _But since I already summoned this turn, I have to wait until next turn to use him. _

"I end my turn…"

Micro drew a card.

"I think I'll play my Akashic Record Spell Card," he said, as a Spell Card appeared.

"Don't forget," said Karl, "due to my Medium, that's all you're allowed."

Micro drew twice.

"Not if I get rid of her…" he said.

He turned the two cards forward; both were Traps, so clearly they hadn't been used yet.

"But I'll let her live for now…" he continued. "I think I'll skip my Battle Phase to use the Staff of Bones again."

"Say WHAT?" said Karl.

"Oh, did I forget to mention?" asked Micro. "Bone Spawn Tokens do not count towards my Monster Card Zone limit."

Karl glared at him.

"Where did these Equip Spells come from?" he shouted. "I demand to know!"

Then he stopped short as a new Zombie appeared on Micro's side of the field. He gasped again. It was Royal Knight of the Ice Barrier, now with glowing red eyes peering through his helmet, and an uncanny fog surrounding him. (2,000 ATK)

Then Karl gasped again, as six more cards flew off his deck.

Micro set both his cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared behind his six Monsters.

"End…" he said.

_Hope this next move works… _thought Karl. _Because of that thing, I'm down to less than half a deck!_

He drew a card.

_Let's hope Shock Troop and __Pilgrim's sacrifice wasn't for nothing…_

"I summon Sacred Spirit of the Ice Barrier!" he said, throwing a card on his Disk.

Nothing seemed to happen.

"So where's your Monster?" asked Micro.

A cold chill blew through the train gate.

"He's a ghost…" said Karl, ominously. "A restless spirit who haunts the frozen wastes…"

A figure started to take form.

"Meet a Zombie of my own…"

The chill intensified, and a phantom appeared – sort of. Unlike most Zombies, it didn't appear disgusting or decayed. It was a true ghost, with no body to decompose. It was translucent, and resembled an old man in a blue priest's clothing, with a long, grey beard. (1,600 ATK)

"Trying to scare me?" asked Micro. "I'm an android, remember? I wasn't programmed to feel fear. Besides, that guy can't defeat Zombie-Skull."

"I beg to differ," said Karl. "You see, this guy is a Spirit Monster. Like most Spirit Monsters, he can't be Special Summoned…"

"…and at the end of your turn, it goes back to your hand," interrupted Micro. "I know how Spirits work."

"_But, _there's a catch to that with _this _Spirit," replied Karl. "If I there's another Ice Barrier Monster on the field, like Medium and Dai-sojo are now, Sacred Spirit doesn't return to my hand… One of _your _Monsters does.

"So…"

"Aw, crud…" said Micro. "Well… I can't stop you from doing it…"

One of his facedown cards lifted up.

"…but I can benefit from it. I was saving this for Brionac, but…"

"Eh?" said Karl, looking at the Continuous Trap Card.

It was called Harnessed Degenerate Circuit.

"What's that?" asked Karl. "I've heard of Degenerate Circuit, but…"

"You may remember that Brionac was the primary reason that Premature Burial was put on the Forbidden List," said Micro. "Folks could combo the two cards to summon a mob of Monsters in one turn.

"Some card designer was opposed to Premature Burial's banning, and proposed this card as an alternative… The idea was struck down, but not before several prototypes, like this one, were printed and leaked out.

"This card activates whenever a Monster would be returned to my hand. The Monster is removed from play instead, and I get to draw one card.

"And… Here's where the anti-combo effect comes in… You can't use bounce effects that target a specific card on Spells and Traps while this card is in play.

"So… I think you were about to end your turn and bounce my Archfiend Zombie-Skull off the field?"

Karl frowned.

"You bet I do!" he shouted. "Sacred Spirit, banish that nightmare!"

The phantom threw up his arms, and a fierce, chilling wind blew. Archfiend Zombie-Skull, let out an unholy howl, and then vanished into nothing. The Staff of Bones fell to the ground, and then shattered into pieces.

Micro drew one card, and then something unexpected happened. First, the two Zombie versions of Royal Knight and Pilgrim shattered into pixels.

Then, both Royal Knight (2,000 ATK) and Dewdark (1,200 ATK) appeared on Karl's side of the field, restored to flesh and blood and alive again.

"Figures…" said Karl. "That Equip did indeed have a drawback… I got those two Monsters back."

"But it's my turn…" said Micro.

He drew a card.

"I pay 500 Life Points to keep Harnessed Degenerate Circuit," he continued, "then I activate a Trap."

"Huh?" said Karl, as one of Micro's facedown cards lifted up.

"Escape from the Dark Dimension!" said Micro. "I can use it to Special Summon my Plaguespreader Zombie back from the void!"

Plaguespreader Zombie appeared again, crouching in Defense Mode. (200 DEF)

"And because I just Special Summoned a Zombie…"

Karl gasped as six more cards flew off of his deck.

Micro grinned at him. Then he set another card in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

He nodded.

**(K: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,500)**

Karl made a draw.

He took a minute to make a quick count.

_I'm down to only seven cards, _he thought, looking at the card he just drew. _But if all goes right, I can win this duel right now!_

Then Dewdark and Sacred Spirit dissolved into six glowing stars.

"_Mighty spirit of the North Wind, descend to bring your savage storm to the frozen tundra!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

_"Synchro Summon… Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

With a roar, Brionac appeared on the field, and let out a mighty roar. (2,300 ATK)

"Thank you so much for using that effect on Brionac," he said. "I had no room to summon another Tuner."

"It was the only Monster in your Graveyard at the time," said Micro, with a sulk.

Karl looked at the six cards in his hand. He had more than enough to get rid of all four of Micro's Monsters and break the lock. But due to Harnessed Degenerate Circuit, he couldn't do it to Micro's set card.

_He'll get to draw four cards… _he thought, _but he won't be able to use them this turn! If that set card doesn't stop me and I can attack with all of my Monsters, I'll win the duel!_

He quickly discarded four of his cards, and Brionac roared again. A super-intense blizzard struck the train gate, and the three Soul-Absorbing Bone Towers and Plaguespreader Zombie vanished into nothing.

Micro quickly made four draws.

_Well, it wasn't Divine Wrath at least, _thought Karl.

"It's over, you overgrown calculator!" said Karl, as Dai-sojo stood up. (1,600 ATK) "Royal Knight, you first…"

Royal Knight charged, and stabbed the android with his lance.

_Not Mirror Force either, _thought Karl. _I've got him!_

"Next, Dai-sojo!" he shouted. "Chill strike!"

Dai-sojo made a leap, and delivered a martial arts-style kick to the duel-bot. Micro staggered backwards and fell over.

"Brionac, death blizzard!" shouted Karl.

Brionac prepared to attack…

"That's quite enough!" shouted Micro, as his facedown card shot up.

"Attack Guidance Armor!"

A sinister-looking breastplate flew out of the card, and flew towards Medium. She screamed as it clamped over her chest.

"This Trap draws Brionac's attack to another Monster," he said. "Guess who?"

Brionac breathed his chilling cone of frost, but it did a 180 in mid-air, and hit Medium, blowing her to pixels.

Karl made a scowl.

"You want to play dirty, fellah…"

He sighed.

**(K: 7,900) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 2,900)**

Karl slowly set a card in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"I end my turn…" he said.

Micro took off his glasses and tossed them aside. Then his eyes glowed with blue light.

He drew a card.

"I pay 500 Life Points to keep Harnessed Degenerate Circuit," he said, in the same monotone that Micro Red had switched to.

"Then I play Burial from a Different Dimension," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "I return Plaguespreader Zombie and two Soul-Absorbing Bone Towers to my Graveyard.

"Then, I summon Zombie Master…"

In an aura of necrotic energy, a decaying Zombie in rotted clothing with glowing eyes crawled out of the floor. (1,800 ATK)

"Then, I discard one card to use its effect, and bring Plaguespreader back from the grave."

He discarded one card, a Hidden Armory, and the Zombie Tuner reappeared. (400 ATK)

Then the two Zombies flew towards the ceiling again, turning into six glowing stars.

"_Behold as the dark magic craved by deprived magicians forms a terror of necromancy unlike any the world has ever seen!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Skull Lord!"_

The same aura of necrotic energy, but more intense than last time, gave way to a tall figure clad in violet robes holding an arcane staff. Karl would say that it was a lich, but it had _three _heads, each one a bare skull with an iron crown on top. (0 ATK)

"This must be one of the others you were talking about…" said Karl, nervously. "But… Zero Attack Points?"

"Skull Lord is an inverted version of Chaos Necromancer," said Micro, in his same monotone. "It gains 300 Attack Points for every Monster in _your _Graveyard.

"Due to my previous strategy, I'm guessing you have a _lot _of them there."

(5,100 ATK)

"Seventeen, it seems," he continued. "Skull Lord, wipe out that annoying Dai-sojo of the Ice Barrier with unholy blight!"

Skull Lord's six eyes glowed, and it pointed its staff, blasting a bolt of dark energy, eradicating Dai-sojo and knocking Karl down.

"And now that he's gone, I can activate this…" continued Micro.

He played one of his cards, and discarded another.

"Lightning Vortex!"

Karl shielded himself as lightning flashed, and Royal Knight and Brionac were both blown to shards.

"And because the number of Monsters in your Graveyard just increased by three," continued Micro, "Skull Lord becomes even stronger."

(6,000 ATK)

"I set this," he said, as a reversed card appeared, "and then you go."

_Victory is now inevitable, _he thought. _The chance of Skull Lord's defeat by battle is nearly nonexistent, and should he destroy it with a card effect…_

_My facedown Destruction Trigger will activate, costing him another five cards from his deck of the seven he now has left. _

"My turn is over," he said.

**(K: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 2,400)**

Karl drew.

It was General Gantala of the Ice Barrier. The other card in his hand was Moray of Greed.

_Should I go with this? _he thought.

He looked at his last card on the field. His facedown card.

"I pass," he said. "Your move…"

Micro drew a card. He looked at it.

"I now would have to pay 500 Life Points to keep Harnessed Degenerate Circuit," he said, "but I believe it is of no further value at this time, so I will neglect to do so."

The Trap Card shattered into pixels.

"Skull Lord, attack the human directly," he said.

Skull Lord prepared to cast its dark spell again, aiming at Karl this time.

"_Karl, please, do something!" _shouted Sal.

Karl screamed as the powerful blast struck him…

He gasped for breath. Smoke was rising from his shoulders…

But he was still standing…

**(K: 1,400) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 2,400)**

"Eh?" said Micro.

Then he noticed the Trap Card. Ironically, it had Archfiend Zombie-Skull in the card art.

"It's called Reanimation Wave," said Karl. "To activate this card, I had to first choose a Synchro Monster in my Graveyard whose Level was equal to or less than the Monster you were attacking with. Fortunately, Brionac fit the bill.

"The first thing the Trap did was cut the damage I took in half.

"The second thing it does is let me Special Summon said Synchro Monster to the field."

Brionac appeared again, in a blast of ice crystals. He let out an even louder roar. (2,300 ATK)

Skull Lord's Attack Score fell down to 5,700.

"Seems you were a bit hasty in getting rid of that Trap."

"No I wasn't," said Micro.

The duel-bot played the card he had drawn this turn, and an Equip Spell appeared in front of him.

"I play Axe of Fools," he said, "and I Equip it to… Brionac."

Brionac groaned, as if in pain. (3,300 ATK)

"His Attack Score went _up…_" said Karl. "But he doesn't seem to like it…"

"_A Monster Equipped with Axe of Fools gains 1,000 Attack Points," _said Sal, _"but can't use its effect._

"_And you'll also take 500 points of damage during each of Micro's Standby Phases."_

"I see…" said Karl.

"Surrender," said Micro. "You cannot possibly make that thing strong enough to defeat Skull Lord."

"We'll see," said Karl. "My move!"

He drew a card.

He chuckled when he saw what it was.

"Never thought I'd be glad that this was so close to the bottom of my deck," he said. "Well, Micro… If I can't make Brionac stronger, I'll just have to make Skull Lord weaker."

"Eh?" said Micro.

Karl quickly played the card, and the Pot of Avarice appeared.

"By sending five Monsters from my Graveyard to my deck," said Karl, "triple-ugly over there will lose 1,500 Attack Points."

Nineteen Monster Cards appearedin holographic form in front of Karl – that was close to every Monster in his main deck.

_Only problem, _he thought, _is deciding who goes back…_

He thought for a minute, and then touched Samurai of the Ice Barrier, Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier, Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier, Geisha of the Ice Barrier, and Aqua Spirit.

He combined them with the five cards he had remaining, manually shuffled them (sort of – shuffling a deck of ten cards is difficult) and then made two draws. Skull Lord fell to an Attack Score of 4,200.

"Now I'm going to cut your Monster down another notch!" continued Karl. "By removing Wendigo of the Ice Barrier from play, I get to Normal Summon General Gantala without a sacrifice."

The bald, muscular General appeared, forming a fighting stance. (2,700 ATK)

"Then, by removing another Water Monster from play, I can Special Summon my Aqua Spirit!"

A column of water shot up, and the watery sylph appeared next to Gantala. (1,600 ATK)

Skull Lord fell to an Attack Score of 3,600.

"My Monster still rules the field," said Micro.

"Not for long," continued Karl. "I'm not done using your Mill strategy against you. I'm removing Skill Successor from play to boost Brionac's Attack Score even further."

Brionac raised its head and growled. (4,100 ATK)

"Brionac…" commanded Karl, "pulverize that pile of bones! Death blizzard!"

Brionac let out a roar of rage, and a blast of frost and ice was let loose from his jaws. Skull Lord froze into a coffin of ice, and then shattered into a thousand shards.

"Now to finish you off!" said Karl. "Gantala, attack directly with shattering strike!"

Gantala leapt at the duel-bot, and delivered a fierce karate chop, sending him to his knees.

**(K: 1,400) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0)**

Micro Blue started to sizzle and smoke.

"You are victorious…" he said. "But the Staff of Bones wasn't the surprise I was speaking of… Nor was Harnessed Degenerate Circuit…

"I don't have it… One of the other Micros must…"

Then he collapsed, smoke pouring from his chest.

At that moment, Karl's cell phone rang. He answered it.

"Karl?" said Dugan's voice. "Thank goodness you're all right… It seems this was a trap all along. This duel-bot I fought was well-prepared for Scrap Dragon."

"I know," said Karl. "This one had cards meant to take advantage of a Bounce strategy.

"Did the one you fought have some sort of 'surprise'? This one mentioned a surprise that only one of the three had."

"Well, his strategy was odd," said Dugan, "but other than that, no, I…"

Then it hit them.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Ben was watching the second episode of the _Mystery Science Theater 3000 _marathon, something came into his head…

He closed his eyes…

_In his mind's eye, he was walking through an ominous cavern. And he was not alone – a companion was by his side. But he didn't see his ally – he didn't think to turn his head to look._

_Ben and his ally walked into a huge cavern the size of a cathedral and saw a grand sight. At the far end was a huge pipe organ._

_It was bigger and more beautiful than any pipe organ that this world or any other had ever seen. The organ itself was made of the finest mahogany wood, with carvings of flowers and trees on the sides. The pipes reached to the ceiling of the huge chamber, and were fashioned of gold and silver. Ivory statues of lovely angels and obsidian gargoyles were perched on the grand instrument._

_As Ben and his companion looked in awe, they realized that the great instrument had a guardian. A golem shaped like a suit of armor, ten feet tall and holding a huge axe was daring them to come closer._

_Ben's companion shouted out a challenge. And it was then that Ben turned his head and saw who his ally was…_

"Nichole?" he said, opening his eyes.

He held his head.

"It wasn't Nichole…" he muttered. "Whoever sent me that memory put Nichole in place of someone else who was supposed to be there…"

Slowly, Ben came to realize the reason why Nichole had been placed in that memory…

As Bartholomew came out of the kitchen with some popcorn, Ben got up, and slowly went to the guest room.

"Huh…" said the brownie. "Guess he had to go to the john…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ATTACK GUIDANCE ARMOR (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A gaunt man wearing a breastplate with a demonic face on it.

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent declares an attack. Select 1 face-up Monster on the field other than the attack target or the attacking Monster. The selected Monster becomes the target of the attack.

_Note: "Attack Guidance Armor" was used by Kaiba several times in the original anime, originally in "Back to Battle City (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DESTRUCTION TRIGGER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **The image on this card was not clear.

**Card Description: **Activate when a Monster you control is destroyed by the effect of your opponent's Spell or Trap Card. Your opponent sends the top five cards from his deck to the Graveyard.

_Note: "Destruction Trigger" was first used by Breo in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" Episode 101. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – THE STAFF OF BONES (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A ram-headed demon with diseased skin and a rotting black robe holding a staff made of two femurs lashed together topped with a fanged, horned skull.

**Card Description: **Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. Equip only to a Fiend or Zombie-Type Synchro Monster you control. Once per turn by skipping your Battle Phase you can remove 1 Monster in your opponent's Graveyard from play, and Special Summon 1 "Bone Spawn Token" (Dark/Zombie/Effect) in face up Attack Position with the same Level, ATK, and DEF as the removed Monster. "Bone Spawn Tokens" cannot inflict Battle Damage and do not count towards the player's 5 Monster Card Zone limit. When this card is removed from the field, destroy all "Bone Spawn Tokens" and Special Summon the Monsters removed from play by this card's effect to your opponent's side of the field. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HARNESSED DEGENERATE CIRCUIT (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **Magical Scientist observing a glass sphere which contains an energy field similar to the one in the art for "Degenerate Circuit".

**Card Description: **Pays 500 Life Points during each of your Standby Phases. If you do not, this card is destroyed. Whenever a Monster would be returned to your hand by your opponent's card effect, remove it from play instead. Then, draw 1 card. Spell and Trap Cards cannot be sent from the field to the owner's hand by the effects of Effect Monsters.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SKULL LORD (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **_"Plaguespreader Zombie" + 1 or more non-Tuner Zombie-Type Monsters_

Increase the ATK and DEF of this card by 300 for every Monster in your opponent's Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: Dugan and Karl have defeated two of these duel-bots… One remains, and unfortunately, the best has been saved for last. His strategy has rendered my Amazons virtually helpless, and his Monsters hit hard and without mercy.**_

_**The only reason I'm not giving up is because I have an ally. His words of encouragement are keeping me going, and letting me hang on to a flicker of hope that I might have a chance to defeat this opponent…**_

"_**Micro Green; Dangerous Plain" is coming soon. **_


	20. Micro Green, Plain Dangerous

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL TWENTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Micro Green**

**Plain Dangerous**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

For beasts that had been extinct for millions of years, dinosaurs certainly were popular in the modern era. You had dinosaur toys, dinosaur cartoons, dinosaurs on stickers, coloring books, cookies, models… When Pegasus had created Duel Monsters, he had given them their due, making them their own Type instead of bunching them with Reptiles. Of course, it took a few years before they actually gained any good cards other than Gilasaurus.

Nichole considered the odd appeal that dinosaurs had as she walked past Sue, the most popular exhibit of the Field Museum of Natural History. It was the world's most complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex; it was eighty percent complete, forty-two feet long, thirteen feet high at the hips, and was estimated to be sixty-seven million years old. The dinosaur's actual gender was unknown; it was named after Sue Hendrickson, the paleontologist who had unearthed it. It had been a permanent fixture of the museum since it was unveiled in May of 2000.

Nichole had fondly remembered coming here with her brother when she was young, and looking at Sue and everything else the museum had to offer. But now she was worried. The now-closed museum had been far too easy to sneak into; the robot security drones had been shut down, and there wasn't a live security guard in sight.

She turned towards Inside Ancient Egypt, the room which held Egyptian artifacts, the reason the place was under renovations. That room was receiving some new exhibits, taken from a newly discovered tomb that had been unearthed in the Valley of the Kings. She slowly walked in.

She looked around. Elaborate sarcophagi holding real human mummies were on display behind glass cases, in front of a tomb that visitors could enter decorated with hieroglyphics.

She paused in front of a new exhibit, a large bronze ark with cat-like designs, clearly once holding an offering to the cat-goddess Bastet.

She heard something behind her. She spun around with her sword drawn.

"Don't shoot!" screamed a familiar voice.

"BEN?" exclaimed Nichole.

She looked at Ben in disbelief.

"How the heck did you get here?"

"I… I dunno…" said Ben. "But I kinda had the feeling this was a setup…

"Call me crazy, but…"

"You presume too much…" said a voice.

Nichole and Ben turned to face the tomb as a third duel-bot materialized out of thin air. He looked exactly like Micro Red and Micro Blue, except that his jacket and hair were both green.

"Huh…" he said. "I wasn't expecting more than one…"

"Ben, this is kind of my business here," said Nichole.

"I won't get in your way," said Ben, holding up his hands. "Just call me your corner-man."

"Bah!" said Micro Green. "Bring a whole studio audience for all I care… It will only make your defeat all the more humiliating."

He held up a Duel Disk.

"Think you can beat me, weirdo?" asked Nichole. "Trust me, I've dealt with scarier guys than you…"

The two Disks activated.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Micro Green: 8,000)**

"Ladies first…" said Nichole.

Micro didn't object, so she made a draw.

She set a card on her Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"I'll end my turn there," she said.

Micro made a draw.

"I summon… Gene-Warped Warwolf!" he exclaimed.

There was a howl, and a tall lycanthrope with white fur materialized in front of him. It had four arms, tattoos all over its torso, and wore a brown kilt. (2,000 ATK)

_Ho boy… _thought Nichole.

"Attack!" ordered Micro. "Savage rend!"

The Warwolf leapt at the set card. A young woman wearing a blue halter top and a skirt, wearing a black cape and a wide-brimmed hat with a feather in it appeared on the card. With one swipe, she was blown to shards.

"I activate Warrior Lady of the Wasteland's effect!" exclaimed Nicole. "I get to Special Summon an Earth-Attribute Warrior from my deck with 1,500 Attack Points or less.

"And most Amazons qualify…"

Amazoness Swords Woman appeared in front of her. (1,500 ATK)

"Then I'll set these cards," said Micro, as two set cards appeared behind Warwolf, "and end my turn."

_That Beast-Warrior is a tough customer, _thought Nichole. _Best get something good…_

She made a draw.

_Yes!_

"I summon Amazoness Paladin," she said.

In a flourish, Paladin appeared, holding her sword threateningly. (1,700 ATK) –) (1,900 ATK)

"Then, I play the Field Spell, Amazoness Village!"

She fit the card into her Field Slot, and quickly, the fenced-in village of thatched huts appeared around them, surrounded by jungle trees. Swords Woman rose to an Attack Score of 1,700, while Paladin rose to 2,100.

"That makes Paladin just strong enough to send your Warwolf packing!" she continued.

Paladin leapt at the Beast-Warrior, and made a swipe with her blade, cutting it in half. The pieces dissolved into motes of light.

"Think that was something? Swords Woman, attack him directly!"

Micro grunted as Swords Woman's blade cut across his torso.

**(N: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,200)**

"Your move…" said Nichole, with a grin.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Tiberius was watching intently through Xane's viewing portal.

"You sure this will work?" he asked. "If the replica makes all gods blind to that android's very existence, how can we be sure that my little surprise will even work?"

"Micro Green isn't the one who will cast the spell," replied Xane. "You already cast it. The Contingency will only release it when the time is right. And the replica can't prevent divine spells from working."

"Let's hope so," said Tiberius. "Those duel-bots aren't exactly cheap, and neither are some of the cards they're using. Not to mention the fact that the scroll I cast the spell from could only be used once."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move…" said Micro.

He drew a card.

Then one of his Trap Cards lifted up.

"I activate Common Charity," he said. "I now get to draw two cards…"

He made two draws.

"But, if I don't then remove one Normal Monster in my hand from play, I lose my whole hand.

"So I'll get rid of this one."

He placed one card inside his jacket.

"Then, I summon Vorse Raider."

The Monster that appeared had been made famous by Seto Kaiba long ago: A wicked-looking Beast-Warrior in armor and a horned helmet with a double-bladed axe. (1,900 ATK)

"Now, Birthright," he said, as his other Trap Card lifted up. "I can now Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard. With only one Monster there, I can bet you can guess who it is."

Gene-Warped Warwolf appeared again. (2,000 ATK)

_Seems to be playing a Normal Beatdown Deck, _thought Nichole. _Well, I can handle it…_

"Vorse Raider, raid Amazoness Swords Woman!" ordered Micro. "Blood slash!"

Vorse Raider growled, and made a fierce swipe with his axe. Swords Woman grunted, and then shattered.

"You do know that the Battle Damage from that attack all fell on you, don't you?" asked Nichole.

"True," said Micro, "but now my Warwolf can at least fight your Paladin to a draw."

"Think again," said Nichole. "I use the effect of Amazoness Village to Special Summon a second Swords Woman."

A twin of the first Swords Woman materialized, and she was angry. (1,500 ATK) –) (1,700 ATK)

"In that case…" said Micro.

He took two cards from his hand, and set them in his Disk. Two facedown cards appeared.

"End…" he said.

**(N: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 6,000)**

"Draw!" exclaimed Nichole, making a draw.

"I summon Amazoness Trainee!"

Trainee leapt onto the field, swinging her spiked chain. (1,500 ATK) –) (1,700 ATK) Paladin's Attack Score rose to 2,200.

"Paladin, destroy Gene-Warped Warwolf again!" she shouted.

Paladin leapt at the lycanthrope for the second time…

"Not this time…" said Micro, with a sinister grin.

His facedown card shot up.

"Skill Drain?" gasped Nichole.

"No…" said Ben.

"For the low price of 1,000 Life Points," said Micro, "Monsters can't use their effects."

Paladin's Attack Score fell to 1,900. Gene-Warped Warwolf threw a punch, and she shattered into pixels.

"Of course…" said Micro, "my Monsters couldn't care less… They have no effects to lose…

"Your Amazons on the other hand… They've become only slightly more useful than a Headless Knight."

Nichole's hand shivered… He was right… Skill Drain was possibly the worst enemy of her deck…

"I can still use the effect of Amazoness Village!" she shouted.

Amazoness Fighter appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,300 DEF)

Then Swords Woman knelt, and held her sword in her lap. (1,600 DEF)

"I… I end my turn…"

**(N: 7,900) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,000)**

Micro grinned as he made a draw.

"First thing I'm going to do," he said, "is take care of this Field Spell by playing one of my own…"

He fit a card into his Field Slot.

"I play Grey Area."

Nichole watched in horror as the Village crumbled into dust. Then, a dismal, grey desert dotted with dead trees under a depressing overcast sky surrounded them.

"Fitting that I use such a card…" said Micro. "St. Cuthbert, that god you follow, is notorious for seeing everything in black and white. He thinks that the lines between Good and Evil, Law and Chaos, and virtually everything else are so well-defined. He never considers that some things come in shades of grey."

"Most deities do tend to go to extremes, pal," said Nichole. "They're _embodiments _of the ideals they represent. St. Cuthbert isn't a mortal judge, he's the embodiment of Justice, and in that field there's very little middle-ground.

"So just what does your Field Spell do?"

"With this in play," said Micro, "if either player activates a card that can destroy one or more Normal Monsters, his or her opponent can discard one card to prevent it.

"Having done that, I activate this…"

His other facedown card lifted up.

"Escape from the Dark Dimension. With this, I can Special Summon a Dark Monster that I removed from play. I'll use it to bring back the Mechanicalchaser I got rid of when I played Common Charity."

A dark portal opened, and a nasty-looking Machine flew out. It was spherical, had a skull-like face in the front, a sword for a tail, metal wings, and six spindly arms tipped with blades. (1,850 ATK)

"Now for your Amazons," he continued. "Gene-Warped Warwolf, the Trainee."

The Warwolf made four wicked slashes. Trainee held her stomach, and then shattered into shards.

Micro pointed. Vorse Raider and Mechanicalchaser both charged, and sliced up Fighter and Swords Woman.

"No…" said Nichole.

Fear was starting to overcome her…

"It's not over till it's over!" shouted Ben.

Micro set a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"But my turn is over now," he said. "Why don't you see what else you've got?"

**(N: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,000)**

Nichole's hand quivered as she made a draw.

She slowly set two cards in her Disk, and a card appeared in her Monster Zone, followed by one in her Spell Zone.

"That's all I've got…" she muttered.

Micro made a draw.

"I play Allure of Darkness," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "Now I get to make two draws…"

He drew two cards.

"Then, like Common Charity, I must remove a Monster in my hand from play, but it must be Dark."

He pocketed a Mad Dog of Darkness.

"Now, I summon Insect Knight."

A humanoid mantis holding a serrated blade flew onto the field. (1,900 ATK)

_Not another member of the Nineteen-Hundred Club? _thought Ben.

"Mechanicalchaser, wipe out her Monster!" shouted Micro.

Mechanicalchaser's blades started spinning, and it flew at the hidden Monster. Amazoness Blowpiper appeared on the card, and was cut into quarters.

"I activate Pride of Tribe!" shouted Nichole, as her facedown card shot up. "I'll summon Chain Master in Defense Mode!"

Amazoness Chain Master appeared, kneeling and shielding herself. (1,300 DEF)

"Whatever," said Micro. "Insect Knight, slay her."

Insect Knight made a deep cut with its sword, and Chain Master burst into pixels.

"You have nothing left to defend yourself with, Shadowchaser," said Micro.

Nichole screamed as Vorse Raider hit her hard with its axe, and screamed even louder as Warwolf's claws bit into her.

She fell to her knees.

**(N: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 4,800)**

"Surrender," said Micro. "Face it, without their effects your Amazons are powerless… Kind of like you right now."

Sweat poured down Nichole's face.

_Is he right? _she thought. _Has he truly beaten me?_

"He hasn't beaten you," said Ben, whom she had almost forgotten about. "I'll never believe that."

"Ben?" said Nichole, turning her head.

"Nichole, I've only known you for a few days…" said Ben. "But… Call me crazy, but something inside me thinks I've known you before… Or some woman who was like you…

"I have no idea who it was… But I just have a feeling I used to know a woman who was tough, one who never gave up, one who didn't take any crap from jerks like this. A _strong _woman, just like the Amazons.

"Don't forget, Nichole… Even when your Amazons' individual effects are shut down by that card, they're still part of the Amazon tribe. That means they're part of a close team. A family who works together and supports each other, just like how the Shadowchasers or the members of St. Cuthbert's House are supposed to.

"Do you get what I'm saying?"

Nichole paused.

_Wait… _she thought. _Maybe he has a point…_

She stood up.

"This duel is not over yet, mystery man!" she said. "It's my draw!"

She drew a card.

It was Pot of Avarice.

"Just what I needed," she said.

She played it, and took Warrior Lady, one Swords Woman, Fighter, Trainee, and Blowpiper from her discard slot, added them to her deck, and reshuffled. She made two draws.

"Perfect," she said. "I play The Warrior Returning Alive."

She played another Spell Card, and then took Amazoness Paladin from her discard slot.

"Now, I'll summon her!"

Paladin appeared again. (1,700 ATK)

"Why bring her out again?" asked Micro.

"So I could use this!" replied Nichole, as she played another Spell Card. "Amazoness Fighting Spirit!

"You see, what Ben was trying to say was, Skill Drain takes away my Monster's effects, but _not _their names. And so long as they each have the word 'Amazoness' in them, their support cards still recognize them as members of the tribe. So this Spell Card still gives them 1,000 extra Attack Points when they attack a stronger Monster!"

"Then she _won't _attack," replied Micro. "I activate Threatening Roar!"

His facedown card lifted up.

Nichole frowned. She took a card from her hand, set it on her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

She waved her hand.

Micro looked at the facedown card. He made a draw.

_Hmm..._ he thought_. Even if her attack had succeeded, she would have only destroyed one of my Monsters... I would have still won the duel on this turn..._

_She knows my Field Spell can negate an attempt to destroy my Monsters with a Trap Card…_

_So… her facedown card is likely something she that will halt my Monsters' attacks without destroying them... Maybe her own Threatening Roar. Then she would have summoned another Amazon on her turn, and defeated two more of my Monsters with that Fighting Spirit..._

He looked at the two cards he had: Monster Reincarnation and Foolish Burial.

_I have nothing to get rid of that card... Well, I'll force her to use it. Possibly, I can turn this to my advantage..._

"Mechanicalchaser, destroy Amazoness Paladin!" he ordered.

Nichole smirked as the robot flew towards Paladin.

"Took the bait just as I planned, sucker!" she laughed.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"Go, Amazoness Archers!"

The card glowed, and a squad of a dozen scantily-clad Amazons holding bows and quivers of arrows appeared behind Paladin. They opened fire, peppering all four of Micro's Monsters with sharp bolts.

"What's going on?" he gasped.

"This Trap is triggered when you attack an Amazon," said Nichole. "It forces all of your Monsters into Attack Mode, reduces their Attack Scores by 500 points, and then forces all of them to attack!"

Micro watched in horror as Mechanicalchaser's Attack Score fell to 1,350, Gene-Warped Warwolf's to 1,500, and Vorse Raider's and Insect Knight's to 1,400 apiece. Then all four of his beatsticks charged at Paladin. She made a mighty swing, and they all fell backwards on their backs.

Then, they shattered into pixels.

"YES!" shouted Ben. "Go, Nichole!"

"And with no Normal Monsters on the field," said Nichole, "this gloomy Grey Area goes away."

The Field around them shattered and the pieces fell around them with a clatter.

**(N: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,850)**

"Take turn…" said Micro, with a scowl.

Nicole made a draw.

"I sacrifice Paladin…" she said.

Paladin turned into an orb of light.

"…for Amazoness Queen!"

In an explosion of energy, the Queen appeared, holding her scimitar and glaring at Micro with her one good eye. (2,400 ATK)

"She may not be able to use her effect," said Nichole, "but she's stronger than any member of the Nineteen-Hundred Club!

"Attack him directly! Blade of Hippolyta!"

Amazoness Queen leapt at Micro, and hit him hard with her sword. Micro fell backwards and onto his behind.

**(N: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 1,450)**

"I'll throw this facedown, and take a break," said Nichole, as she set a facedown card.

Micro got up.

Then he took off his sunglasses, and his eyes shone with a green glow.

"What… What are you?" said Nichole, with a gasp.

"My move…" he said, in the same monotone that his two "brothers" had resorted to when the tide turned against them.

He drew a card.

"I play Foolish Burial," he said.

He took a card from his deck, and discarded it.

"Next, I play Monster Reincarnation," he continued. "I discard one card…"

He discarded a second Skill Drain.

"…and I get back the Monster I just discarded."

He took a card from his discard slot.

"Next, I remove from play one Beast-Warrior and one Machine in my Graveyard…"

Vorse Raider and Mechanicalchaser appeared behind him, and vanished into nothing.

_Oh no! _thought Ben. _There's only one Monster that's summoned this way… The most powerful creature that you could ever find lurking in a Skill Drain Deck…_

"I summon Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür," said Micro.

There was an explosion on his side of the field, and a huge Beast-Warrior leapt out. It vaguely resembled the familiar Beast King Barbaros, but it had metallic-grey skin, and was holding two large laser pistols. (3,800 ATK)

"Thirty-eight hundred Attack Points?" gasped Nichole.

"Usually, Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür cannot inflict Battle Damage," said Micro, "but with Skill Drain in play, that liability is done away with.

"Terminate Amazoness Queen. Flashing destructive bullets."

Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür fired twin blasts of electric death from its weapons, and Amazoness Queen screamed right before she was atomized. Nichole screamed too, and was knocked on her back.

"Nichole!" shouted Ben.

"I'm all right…" muttered Nichole.

**(N: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 1,450)**

She got up. She looked at her deck.

_Let's hope Ben's little pep talk wasn't in vain, _she thought.

She drew a card.

"Perfect…" she said.

"First, I summon Amazoness Fighter."

She played a card, and Fighter appeared. She cracked her knuckles. (1,500 ATK)

"Then, I activate… Call of the Haunted."

Her facedown card lifted up, and Amazoness Queen appeared again. (2,400 ATK)

"Now then," she said, as she played the card she had just drawn, "I Equip Queen with Amazoness Heirloom!"

Queen's halter top turned to a bronze breastplate, and bronze gauntlets appeared on her wrists.

"This Equip Spell lets an Amazon win any battle," she continued. "And don't forget, due to Amazoness Fighting Spirit, Queen gains 1,000 Attack Points when she attacks a stronger Monster.

"I'll lose 400 Life Points…"

Amazoness Queen lifted her sword. Her Attack Score rose to 3,400.

"…but it's a small price to pay to bring down that monstrosity. Go! Destroy Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür!

"Attack now! Pride of Themyscira!"

Amazoness Queen leapt at the cybernetic Beast-Warrior, and grit her teeth as her sword slammed into it. Nichole held her chest in pain, but Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür toppled over, and exploded in a fiery conflagration.

"Now my Fighter will finish you off!" shouted Nichole.

Fighter leapt at the android, and kicked him hard…

**(N: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0)**

Micro paused.

"Congratulations, Shadowchaser…" he said.

He paused.

"Secondary programming confirmed," he said in a computerized voice. "Beginning Contingency…"

He started to unzip his jacket.

The gate that separated Inside Ancient Egypt from the rest of the museum slammed shut. Then he opened his jacket.

On his chest was a digital timer… Set to the number 00:30…

And then it started counting down… 00:29… 00:28…

"A bomb!" shouted Nichole.

Micro collapsed.

"We gotta get out of here!" shouted Nichole. "There's no telling how powerful that bomb is…"

"The exits seem sealed…" said Ben.

Then he noticed the ark behind them. The ark with the depictions of Bastet… and he noticed it was half open.

"Here!" he said to Nichole, grabbing hold of her.

"Ben, what the…" she said.

Ben shoved Nichole into the ark and then slammed the lid closed.

"Hold on tight, Nichole!" he shouted. "I have a feeling that this thing was made to protect something important!"

He held it shut, putting his full weight onto it.

"Ben, are you crazy?" shouted Nichole.

"Trust me!" replied Ben. "Just try to go limp…"

…00:03 …00:02

…00:01

The next thing Nichole knew, she felt a chill unlike any she ever had, and the ark toppled over.

After about five minutes, she crept out. There was no fire… No damage to anything in the room at all except some of the sarcophagi and the ark itself, which seemed to have melted slightly. Only an uncanny chill in the air…

Ben was nowhere to be seen.

She had to get out of here… Get help… That bomb had done something…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Tiberius walked down a hallway. He opened a door, and entered the rec room. Lorelei was sitting on the couch, filing her nails.

"Let me guess," she said. "Klink, Klank, and Klunk all went kerplunk again?"

Tiberius sat down.

"Yes, but no matter," he said. "True, it would have benefitted us to get rid of Belvins… She's a member of _two _organizations that might be a threat soon…

"But she'll be saying her prayers to St. Cuthbert for longer periods from now on. I'm doing just what the Triad desires… Keeping the Shadowchasers busy, and making sure they get lots of exercise."

He picked up the remote for the TV.

"Isn't that _Mystery Science Theater 3000_ marathon supposed to be on tonight?"

"You've missed about three hours of it," replied Lorelei, "but it goes until midnight."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Both Dugan and Karl had arrived, as had the police, fire department, a bomb squad, and poison control. A call to the district attorney (who was a close ally of the Shadowchasers) took any suspicion they had away from Nichole as they scoured the place. Nichole was sitting drinking coffee while wrapped in a blanket, still chilled to the bone by that strange bomb.

They had quickly found the security guards, who had been tied up and gagged in a broom closet. But Ben was nowhere to be found. A call to the penthouse confirmed that he was not there. Bartholomew told them that Ben had gone into the hallway leading to the guest room and vanished.

They were listening to a member of the bomb squad talk to his superior while Karl was taking some readings.

"It's odd," said the man. "It wasn't radiation… It was some sort of dark energy… If I had to compare it to something, I would compare it to the energy fields emitted by those huge monsters that appeared in Neo Domino City last year…"

"He means the Earthbound Gods…" said Dugan. "So it was some sort of negative energy bomb…"

"It wasn't a bomb in any mechanical sense of the word," said Karl, looking at a device. "It was apparently a powerful spell released by a Contingency by some dark divine spellcaster. It may have even been Blasphemy…"

"The opposite of Holy Word?" asked Nichole.

She remembered well the stories of how the most powerful of St. Cuthbert's priests had been able to smite mobs of demons with Holy Word, one of the most powerful incarnations that benevolent divine spellcasters could use. But priests of wicked gods had their own version, and it was rumored that gods who represented Law and Chaos but neither Good nor Evil had versions of it as well.

"Affirmative," said Karl. "Blasphemy is a powerful spell of Evil that has a destructive effect on anything Good. The only way I can see that you survived it was if that ark had divine powers of its own…"

"Bastet was known as a dedicated foe of Evil," said Dugan. "It may have radiated holy power that shielded Nichole from the dark spell."

"Ben knew that…" said Nichole, close to tears. "He threw me inside and held the lid down… Even the ark was damaged while it protected me…

"He must have been reduced to dust by the blast!"

She broke into sobs.

"Nichole, he might not have…" said Karl.

He was just trying to comfort her. In truth, he believed that was _exactly _what happened.

Then a policeman walked up to them.

"Are you Nicole?" he said.

"Uh, yes…" she said.

"We found this guy at a homeless shelter down the street," said the cop. "He was looking for you…"

Another cop walked up, with Ben beside him, also wrapped in a blanket.

"BEN!" shouted Nichole, jumping up.

She hugged him.

"Easy, Nichole…" said Ben.

"He was asleep at the shelter," said the cop, "then he woke up, and started shouting your name… He said you had been in some sort of bomb… We figured it might have been this one…"

"Officer," said Nichole, "I can attest with complete honesty that Ben is not responsible for what happened here."

"I'll second that," said Dugan.

"Third it," said Karl. "We're sort of responsible for him right now…"

The officer looked at them.

"Well, if I have any other questions, I'll be right back," he said.

As he walked away, Dugan looked at Ben.

"You actually survived that Blasphemy…" he said.

"You saved my life…" said Nichole. "But… There was no way you could have survived that blast...

"Right now, Nicole, I'm not even sure if it's possible for me to die..." said Ben with a sigh. "I just remember the blast... The terrible chill… Then everything going dark... Then waking up at that shelter..."

Dugan was about to say something… But then his cell phone rang.

He looked at the number.

"Uh, guys?" he said. "It's… It's the boss…"

He answered the phone.

"Yeah, Jalal?" he said.

He listened.

"Uh huh…" he said. "Yes… Yes… Okay…

"Yeah, we can do that…"

He hung up.

"What does the big guy want?" asked Karl.

"People…" said Karl, "Jalal wants to see us at headquarters at noon tomorrow... You too, Ben.

"Which means we'd better go to bed early… Noon tomorrow in Britain is seven in the morning here."

"Like we're going to actually sleep…" said Nichole, nervously.

She had every right to be nervous, because this was big. As rare as it was for Jalal to visit a team of Shadowchasers personally, even rarer was for him to request them to come to Shadowchaser Headquarters in Great Britain when there was a problem. That usually only happened when a Shadowchaser was seriously hurt, in big trouble, had to testify in a very important trial, or was receiving some award.

As far as they knew, nothing like any of that concerned the three of them...

Did it concern Ben?

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GREY AREA (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image: **Vorse Raider wandering through a dismal desert full of dead trees under an overcast sky.

**Card Description: **If neither player controls a face-up Normal Monster, destroy this card. If a player activates a Spell or Trap Card that would destroy 1 or more Normal Monsters via its effect, the opposing player can discard 1 card from his hand to negate the activation of that card and destroy it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: It's not the end of the story… Nor is it the beginning… But it is the end of the beginning.**_

"_**Ravel Darkquill; Remnant from a Shattered Age" is coming soon.**_

_**I will know the truth. **_


	21. Remnant from a Shattered Age

_Author's note: Because this is an exhibition chapter, I thought I'd post it early. Not that it isn't important._

_I promised you folks a dark story, and this is where it starts to get dark. No more nonsense, the preliminary chapters are over. I hope to do much better from this point on, because introductions are over._

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**DUEL TWENTY-ONE**

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**Ravel Darkquill**

**Remnant from a Shattered Age**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

Dugan sighed and held his head. Jet lag must have been nature's way of telling you to stay home. Even though they had used a portal to get here, he was exhausted, and so were his three companions. At least they had a pot of fresh coffee and a plate of cinnamon rolls.

The three Chicago Shadowchasers and Ben were sitting in a comfortable waiting room. It was ten minutes to noon, and if Dugan knew one thing about Jalal, he was never late.

"So…" said Ben. "This Jalal is a nice guy?"

"He'd give you the shirt off his back," said Nichole. "And if you saw where he shops, you'd know that means he's pretty nice."

The door opened.

Jalal Stormbringer, the leader of the Shadowchasers (and also the founder, though few mentioned that anymore) was someone who would stand out in the biggest crowds. His half-dragon heritage was obvious just by looking at him, with his sharp features, pointed ears, and golden hair neatly arranged down his back. He wore clothing that looked expensive, but also almost a century out of date.

Right now, however, he didn't look like he was in the best mood. As a half-dragon, Jalal only had to sleep three hours out of every twenty-four; but it was clear that he was not getting even _that _much lately. The bags under his eyes were clearly visible, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Uh, hi boss…" said Dugan. "Dare I ask how the negotiations with the Silvermoons and Shattered Skulls went?"

Jalal sighed.

"Long," he said. "WAY too long. Every discussion turned into a round of shouting, threatening, and cursing…"

"Well, orcs can be like that…" said Karl.

"I'll get to the orcs in a minute!" replied Jalal.

He sighed again.

"The elven language is so beautiful… Most linguists are shocked when they discover that it actually _has _expletives in it…

"In response to your question, Dugan, suffice to say I was glad to leave. The UN doesn't have half the problems I do.

"But I was intrigued when I came back and heard that someone had actually made a fool out of the Dread Emperor."

"Well…" said Karl.

He gestured to Ben.

Jalal looked at Ben, who turned away, nervously. Jalal's brow furrowed.

"Come on, chief," said Dugan, "surely _you_ must recognize his species."

"I came in here expecting to..." replied Jalal, "but I must admit, Dugan, I'm clueless.

"Of course, the elf-like features might suggest a 'lost race'… The elves, as you know, have many subspecies, such as moon elves, grey elves, sea elves, and dark elves… Their legends hint that many offshoots of the core elven race have become extinct since the ancient days of the Great Elven Empires…

"If Ben is truly immortal, as I've heard, he might be the sole survivor of one of these 'lost races'."

"He not only can duel like a pro," said Karl, "he can fight, he can..."

"Play the piano..." added Nichole.

"Well…" said Jalal, "that's a good thing… Maybe his memory is coming back in bits and pieces…

"Hmm, I'd like to try something... Ben... Would you be willing to be hypnotized?"

"If you think it will work," replied Ben.

"Jalal, you know hypnosis?" asked Dugan.

"No," replied Jalal. "But there's an Incantifer here who specializes in such things. And we may be able to delve into his past by using hypnosis; it's a common way to treat amnesiacs."

"Well, let's give it a go," said Ben.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

One hour later, Jalal was playing chess against Karl in the waiting room. Ben was in another room with the Incantifer, an enchanter named Malafnon.

"So…" said Jalal. "This Drago guy thought he could win immortality from me?"

"That's what he said," replied Karl.

Jalal moved his rook.

"He wasn't the first," he muttered. "Far from it… I've known a lot of folks who came to me with that goal. Henry VIII was one."

"You knew Henry VIII?" gasped Nichole.

"Oh yeah..." replied Jalal. "And we didn't like each other much. I will say he wasn't as lustful, egotistical, and insecure as popular media portrays him, but he was rather vain and very dense.

"See, around the time of his marriage to Jane Seymour, he began to doubt that his goal of fathering a male heir would succeed. So he hatched a plan that even I thought was farfetched. If he found a way to become immortal, he could appoint one of his daughters as heir apparent, then fake his death, and rule Britain behind the throne with her as a puppet ruler. Possibly, he could do the same with every heir after that, and the Tudor dynasty would live forever in one man – him."

"Good lord..." said Dugan.

"Like I said, it was a farfetched plan," continued Jalal. "Of course, I wasn't about to give him my immortality. And when he asked where I had gotten it, well... I suppose I could have told him. For all I knew, Athentia was still where I had left her. But as much as I disliked this man, I could not in clear conscious lead another human being into her clutches. So much to his regret, I refused to tell him."

Karl moved his knight.

"Didn't people who ticked him off tend to be arrested for treason?" he asked. "Or some other trumped-up charge?"

"I was," replied Jalal. "I was accused of high treason and conspiracy. So I disappeared. I simply stayed in Shadowchaser Headquarters, which was as hard to find then as it is now. I spent several years using magic to direct the Shadowchasers and communicate with my allies, as he fruitlessly stepped up efforts to find me. At one point, the bounty on my head rose to an amount equal to twenty million modern American dollars.

"The Shadowchasers of Great Britain were still able to do their jobs… I simply made bargains with nobles, aristocrats, and judges who also hated the king, and there were far more than even he was aware of. Not to give a history lesson, but he had rattled several cages during his reign, and offended several people he shouldn't have.

"You see, Henry's problem, as far as Shadowkind were concerned, was although he was Aware, he failed to realize the scope of their power. The House of Tudor reigned for just over a century, and had five monarchs. Dwarven dynasties tend to last more than five times as long… Elven kings have had personal reigns that have lasted longer than that. Henry had no idea just how insignificant he was in the big picture."

He moved his queen.

"Checkmate," he said.

Karl sighed. He had never been able to beat Jalal at chess… But then again, no-one had. Jalal had been playing for centuries, after all.

"So... He died of old age..." continued Jalal. "He did get his male heir first, but Edward VI's reign lasted six years before he died. I didn't even try to deal with his successor, Mary. She was even worse than her father, but her reign was even shorter than Edward's.

"Then, when Elizabeth took the throne, I sent her a message with a peace offering, and I was pardoned. I got along with her a great deal better.

"That's one of the advantages of being immortal. If someone gets on your nerves, you can simply wait him out."

There was silence for a long time. Then Nicole changed the subject.

"What I don't get is," she said, "if those androids wanted to kill us, why didn't they just sneak up behind us while they were invisible and stick a knife between our ribs?"

"Maybe they couldn't," replied Jalal. "After all, wizards know two different spells that make you invisible, Invisibility, and Advanced Invisibility.

"The first one is easier to cast, but weaker – if you try to do anything but walk at a brisk pace while under standard Invisibility, the spell is broken. Only Advanced Invisibility lets you fight and still remain invisible."

"Like Romulan ships," said Karl, "who couldn't use their weapons or shift into warp speed while using their signature cloaking devices."

Everyone looked at him.

"What?" said Karl. "I'm a nerd, I know a thing or two about _Star Trek."_

"Mmm," said Jalal. "The fact is, invisibility is always a chancy affair. I'm guessing that those duel-bots had something similar to standard Invisibility."

At that moment, Malafnon entered the room.

Malafnon was a bizarre-looking man, like most Incantifers. He looked like old man with pale skin, a long beard, and glowing eyes. Incantifers had mastered arcane power eons ago, and it flowed through their veins. They didn't die naturally, and disease couldn't harm them… But they considered it a waste of energy to use magic keep physically young. After all, if one ever had to appear youthful, there were spells that could do that.

But despite his incredible constitution, Malafnon looked downright exhausted. He was breathing hard, and sweating profusely.

"Well?" asked Jalal.

"Where's Ben?" asked Nichole.

"He's still recovering," said Malafnon. "Give me a minute... Coffee…"

He went up to the desk and took the coffee pot.

"I should warn you, it doesn't taste very good anymore," said Jalal, as the Incantifer poured a cup.

"So long as it has caffeine it will be fine," replied Malafnon.

He swallowed it in one gulp.

Then he took a deep breath.

"I can unravel the average person's psyche as easily as a kindergartner solves a plastic toy puzzle..." he said. "But this was more like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube, blindfolded, without using your hands… In the rain."

"What's wrong with him?" asked Jalal.

"Ben has likely lived for thousands of years," replied Malafnon, "and he's likely lived hundreds of lives. Trying to look into his psyche resulted in me being bombarded with legions of his former incarnations.

"The thing is, he isn't truly immortal, like you are, Jalal. Somehow, his mortality was just... taken away. That's more of a curse than a blessing. He doesn't age, and he's immune to disease... He can die from violence, but in such cases, death isn't permanent for him. Each time he died after acquiring this curse, he came back to life with no memory of his previous lives, sometimes miles away, sometimes worlds away, and started his life again.

"I saw visions of him as soldiers... merchants... scholars... explorers... even philosophers. He's lived so many different incarnations, it's impossible to find my way to the first one."

Everyone looked at each other.

"Wow…" said Nichole.

"Well, he certainly hasn't forgotten the last two times he died," said Dugan.

"I know," said Malafnon. "Something has changed since you met him."

"Ahem!" said a voice.

Everyone turned, and saw Ben at the door, frowning.

"Hi, Ben!" they all said, in cheery voices.

"Look, people," said Ben, sounding irked, "I don't like this any more than you do, but there's gotta be something we can find out!"

He pointed to the Duel Disk on his arm.

"I have the Escape Clause, but if I don't learn how to use it, this vicious cycle is going to be plaguing me until Judgment Day!"

"Well..." said Malafnon, "I did find one other little thing... But we may not be able to use it. I found the name of the spellcaster who cursed you. Someone by the name of Ravel Darkquill."

"Ravel Darkquill?" said Jalal, clearly shocked by the name.

"But, unless this person is also immortal..." said Malafnon. "I mean, the curse was cast thousands of years ago, this Darkquill must be dead by now..."

"I know who Ravel Darkquill is," said Jalal, with a hint of anger in his voice. "She's a legendry night hag, who, not unlike the being who made me immortal, was fond of riddles and puzzles. According to what some tomes said about her, she was once able to grant any wish made to her, so long as the one requesting it could solve her challenges... But that could only be assumed to be true, because it was said that everyone who tried failed, and became her slaves or playthings..."

Ben looked at Jalal.

"Are you saying..." he said. "Are you saying that maybe I went to her _wanting_ to be immortal? That maybe I beat her at this game of hers?"

"Well..." said Jalal, ominously. "We could try asking her..."

"She isn't dead?" gasped Ben.

"No," said Jalal, shaking his head. "Night hags are in the same class as demons, and like them, don't die naturally. She's very alive, and I know where she is."

"Where?" asked Ben. "Where?"

"Calm down," said Jalal. "She's in our custody. She's spent the past twenty years incarcerated in the criminally insane wing of The Cage, our super-maximum security detention facility in Norway.

"It's were we keep demons and other Lower Planar prisoners. They're too dangerous to keep in the facility here..."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Far up north in Norway, close to the Arctic Circle, The Cage stood, a fortress that was hidden even more securely than Shadowchasers Headquarters. There were no doors leading into the building; the only way in or out was to use a portal.

Only twenty percent of the guards at this detention facility were living creatures. The rest were golems or other automaton. Unlike most Shadowchasers, the living guards here got a salary, and a _very _generous one. They and their families also got numerous benefits and a better retirement plan than most police commissioners.

But getting a job here was _very _hard. Not only did you have to take months of special training, you had to prove you would not believe the lies of some of the best liars in the cosmos, and not listen to the promises of some of the best tempters. This prison was not for rank and file Shadowkind. It was for demons, devils, and other dark things from the lower planes.

Most such monsters were not sent here when caught by the Shadowchasers. Usually, if the encounter with the Shadowchasers didn't ultimately kill them (they didn't observe the Great Treaty unless they benefitted from doing so) they were banished back to their home realm using a ritual supplied by an Incantifer. A banished fiend almost always swore bloody revenge before being sent back, but Jalal and the Incantifers knew that diabolic and demonic society never gave second chances. Banished fiends usually face slavery or some other horrid punishment upon reporting their failure to their infernal masters, so the Shadowchasers could rest assured that they'd likely never see them again. Only fiends who turned informant (usually because they were afraid of what was awaiting it back home) were interred here after making a plea bargain.

Jalal, the three Shadowchasers, and Ben were now being escorted down a hallway, past several checkpoints, by two armored guards holding heavy-duty weapons.

"I didn't mind being frisked," muttered Nichole, "but I don't like having to check my sword at the door…"

"Nichole," said Dugan, "contrary to what you see in movies, in most prisons, even the correction officers can't carry weapons. There's too great a risk that prisoners will steal them."

"Right," said Jalal. "But don't worry. Ravel is wearing a straightjacket that nullifies her supernatural powers, and if she gets it off, we can activate the collar she has on to pump her full of sedatives."

They entered a cellblock, which was circular in shape. Two golems stood back to back in the center, where they could see all eight of the cells.

They all looked into the cell that was their goal. Inside was an ugly hag, with pebbly grey skin, tangled grey hair, blood-red eyes, and sharp teeth. Like Jalal said, she was wearing a straitjacket. The walls of the padded cell were covered with odd glyphs and sigils in black writing.

"Furthermore," added Jalal, "all the inmates are reminded, repeatedly, that if they take one step out of their cells, all deals are off. If she does, those two golems will make sure she's dead before she makes it five feet."

"So just what was she convicted of?" asked Ben.

"She was _arrested _for slave trading," replied Jalal, "and the evidence against her was overwhelming. She was especially cruel to her 'merchandise'. To give just one example, she would force one or more of her slaves to strip her clothes off, and then for fun, pelt them with fruit. And they were the lucky ones.

"She made her base in North Korea. She thought she was safe from us there, because our relations with their government were shaky at best. But she went too far. She started to kidnap members of the upper class, and daughters of aristocrats. The North Korean government couldn't stop her, and its Aware members practically offered to pay us to come handle the problem.

"But she's never actually been convicted, or even tried... So far, she's been deemed too mad to be brought to trial."

"What are those strange signs on the wall?" asked Nichole.

"She's spent ten years writing them with a magic marker," said one of the guards. "Holding it with her feet or her teeth. An Incantifer came here to decipher them… He said that the letters were from some Lower Planar language, but it was all gibberish."

"Don't forget, people, Ravel is insane," said Jalal. "Let's hope we can get _something _useful from her.

"Open it up."

One of the guards took off his glove, and touched the fingerprint sensitive pad on the side of the door. Ravel looked up as Jalal walked in.

"Hello," she said, with a slight smile. "If I knew you were coming, I'd have freshened up!"

Then her look turned to one of shock as Ben entered.

"She seems to remember you…" said Dugan.

"You remember this man, Ravel?" asked Jalal.

"How could I forget?" asked Ravel, as she stood up.

She looked at Ben.

"How long has it been, hon?" she said. "An age? An eon? An epoch? It's been so long… I'd hug you if this straitjacket wasn't holding me back…"

"We want information, Ravel," said Dugan. "Information on why you cursed him. Start talking and I might be able to arrange for pancakes to be served more than once a week."

"Well, if you put it that way," said the hag.

"One man's curse is another man's blessing… And granting a blessing can sometimes lead to a curse…"

She chuckled softly.

"I might not have told you had you not brought him…" she said, "but there's no sense in hiding it now… The past is the past, after all…

"It all started long, long ago, when I was young… I had made a deal with Cegilune, the patron deity of hags, the Merchant of the Lower Planes. She wanted me to pose challenges to mortals, promising to grant wishes if they could solve my riddles and puzzles. The deal was simple... I would get great power, and she would get a share of the losers whom I would gain as slaves.

"Trouble was, I expected challenges from the upper crust, and all I ever got were a bunch of crumbs. It got tedious. Most of the folks I got were crude, motivated by greed, lust, or another Deadly Sin. Some wanted wealth, while others wanted to marry some princess... Each one was more pathetic than the last.

"He wasn't the first one who came to me wanting to live forever, but he was different than the others... He had a reason I had honestly never heard before for wanting to be immortal...

"He said he had committed some terrible crime... Something so awful, he feared his soul would be damned to Hell even if he spent the rest of his life doing nothing but good. He needed more time... More time to repent. He wanted to be immortal, and spend the rest of existence doing penance for what he had done.

"So I posed my question..."

"And he answered right?" asked Jalal.

"So many had come to me and had failed trying to find _my _answer…" sighed Ravel. "He surprised me, and gave me _his _answer. The answer he sincerely believed was true. Unlike the answers given by so many, that was the _right _answer.

"I decided to grant his request. I prepared a ritual which stripped his mortality away...

"Then I tested it. I killed him.

"Oh, it gave him what he wanted… But the costs were _great_… The casting of shadows, the quiet, violent deaths of the mind, and the pain-taking emptiness… Dangerous things, very volatile to use on a fragile mortal vessel, no matter how strong the actual man may be…

"Only an hour after I killed him, he was alive again. But... He had no memory of his previous life. He couldn't remember his crime that had caused him to seek immortality, or that he was immortal at all, or even his own name..."

Then Ravel started to squirm and wriggle in the straitjacket. Everyone stepped backwards as, to their shock, she wriggled out of it.

The two guards pointed their weapons.

"Stop right there, Ravel!" shouted one of them.

Ravel's eyes glowed. Then she lifted her hands, and two lightning bolts flashed from them, striking the two guards and sending them propelling against the wall.

Then she took the collar off her neck with no more difficulty than a man turning off a faucet.

Fortunately for the two guards, their armor had been designed with the magic of Lower Planar creatures in mind. One of them grunted, and hit a button on his gauntlet. An alarm started to ring through the whole compound.

"So now what, Ravel?" asked Jalal with a frown. "You step out of this cell, those two golems outside will smash you flat. And even if you defeat them, there's a squad coming to back them up."

"I know…" said Ravel, with a grin.

Then the strange sigils on the wall started to move, and rearrange.

"People, stand back!" shouted Jalal. "Those aren't gibberish anymore!"

"You know, Jalal..." she said with a smile. "I spent the last year trying to think of a way I could kill myself… My life was pointless. I didn't go crazy for no reason... It was a pining... A pining for something I thought I had lost forever...

"Now that I know I can have it again, I have purpose."

She turned to Ben.

"If you want to know more, hon," she said, "come to the old haunt…"

She blew a kiss to him, and then vanished in a plume of black smoke.

"She's gone!" shouted one of the guards.

"But she left something behind…" said the other.

There was a growl, and two glowing eyes appeared in the smoke…

A hideous beast emerged. The size of an ogre, it was hunched over like an ape, had three horns on its head, a muscular torso, goat-like legs, and very big teeth.

It glared at everyone in the cell…

"I'll handle this…" said Jalal.

He rushed at the beast, and it rushed at him. However, one punch to the face sent the creature to the floor.

"Just as I thought," said Jalal. "Very bad glass jaw."

"What is it?" asked Dugan.

"A hordling," replied Jalal. "Mobs of these nearly mindless fiends with no predetermined body form roam the Lower Planes attacking almost everything that moves… But for some reason, they do anything that night hags tell them to. Ravel's spell let her switch locations with this one."

"This doesn't make sense," said one of the guards. "That straightjacket could have held a pit fiend, and she took it off as easily as she would take off a t-shirt."

"And you can't make magic planar sigils with a fine-point marker and expect them to work!" said the other one. "You need special ink or chalk, stuff created by alchemy."

Jalal looked at Ben.

"I think I know how she did it," he said. "When she took away Ben's mortality, she must have implanted something else in him… Something to use him as an amplifier…

"It fed her the power she needed somehow to disable the straightjacket and collar, and make those sigils function, even though they were written by an ordinary pen."

"I'm sorry…" said Ben.

"It was more my fault for thinking she was powerless," replied Jalal. "Seems Ravel is living proof of the old saying, 'there's always a way out'.

"Rest assured, I'll have a long talk with everyone who was in charge of monitoring her. Bur maybe you can help us find her.

"This has quickly become a fugitive problem and I'm not about to let that woman start her old operations again."

"She said she was going back to 'the old haunt'," said Karl.

"She can't mean her old hideout in North Korea," replied Jalal. "We demolished that place."

Ben thought for a minute.

"She doesn't..." he said. "She means the place where I met her... Her true lair..."

"Jalal," said Dugan, "seeing as we kind of started this… My team is ready to track down this fugitive."

Nichole and Karl nodded.

"Understandable," said Jalal. "But first we have to locate her. This way."

He turned to the two guards.

"You two…" he said.

He pointed to the unconscious hordling.

"Find a place for that thing until we can send it back where it came from…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Elsewhere…

The landscape was completely devoid of color. Everything was grey – the land, the trees, and the overcast sky.

And in this grey place where a feeling of hopelessness hung in the air, a gothic castle stood, an ancient structure made of stone.

The front doors of the castle swung open with a loud creak, and Ravel walked in, still dressed in her prison uniform.

"Oh, children!" she called. "I'm home!"

Three humanoid figures quickly appeared on the balcony above.

The first looked like an albino with a hunched back. He was wearing peasant's clothing and a strange pair of goggles.

The second was clearly a fiend of some sort. He had short horns, green skin, and bat-like wings. However, he was well-dressed in very modern attire, wearing a suede leather jacket and trousers, a vest, black shoes, and sunglasses.

The third one looked like a normal man, although paler than most, with neatly-cut black hair, wearing a tuxedo with a black carnation in his lapel.

"I vish she'd stop calling us children," said the fiend, speaking in a strong Germanic accent.

"Lighten up, Belger," said the man in the tuxedo. "It's great to have the boss-lady back!"

"It's great to be back!" laughed Ravel. "I see you children have kept the place spotless…"

"Milady, we never had any doubt that you'd free yourself," said the hunchback. "And we've kept busy! We actually found the artifact!

"You'll never guess where we found it…"

Then the fiend and the tuxedoed man waved their arms at him with looks of fear. The hunchback realized he shouldn't have said that last part.

"Uh, on second thought," he said, "no, no, you don't want to know where we found it…"

"Where did you find it?" asked Ravel.

She looked at the three of them with an expression that could curdle cheese.

"Uh…" said Belger. "Vell… You know zat ruined keep about three miles from here? Uh…"

"The place where we looked first?" asked Ravel. "Four-hundred years ago?"

"Well…" said the tuxedoed man. "We thought we'd look again, and, well… It seemed we missed a nook…"

Then the three of them screamed as lightning struck them.

"I wanted the Three Musketeers," said Ravel, "and what do I get? The Three Stooges."

Her three henchmen groaned as they got up.

"Bring it to the Great Hall," she said. "We'll be hosting guests soon… I can count on it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, in the control center of The Cage, a technician was using a scanner on Ben and the general vicinity to track the escaped night hag.

"Good news and bad news, chief," he said to Jalal, as he adjusted some equipment. "Ravel left a hot trail. We should be able to track her easily."

"And the bad news?" asked Jalal.

"That _is _the bad news," replied the technician. "I have a feeling she may _want _to be tracked."

"I want to go with Dugan and the others," said Ben.

"Ben, are you crazy?" asked Jalal. "Don't you realize that that's likely _exactly _the reason the she wants us to track her? She wants _you _for some reason, and I think it's for something other than you being an amplifier."

"I have to know the truth," said Ben.

"Night hags don't just deal in live mortals, you know," said Jalal, "they sometimes deal in souls. Immortality won't protect your soul from being imprisoned if that's her plan."

"Not to play devil's advocate," said Karl, "but night hags are only supposed to be able to do that to selfishly evil mortals… Although stories do pop up of exceptionally powerful ones who can break that rule… From time to time…"

"Knowing what this crime she spoke of might help..." pleaded Ben. "And even if it doesn't, I need to know! What terrible thing did I do? Did I have a wife and children that I murdered? Was I a slave trader who was even crueler than Ravel?

"Hell, maybe this crime has something to do with the fact that no-one knows what species I am! Maybe no-one like me is around anymore because I wiped them all out!"

"Dugan, give me your Duel Disk," said Jalal.

Dugan took the device off his arm, and handed it to Jalal. Jalal opened the chamber that contained the Extra Deck, and took out Dragonprince Jalal.

"Ben, before I decide," he said, "take a look at something. See this Monster?"

"Yeah..." said Ben. "It kinda looks like you..."

"Uh huh..." said Jalal. "I give this to all Shadowchasers. Now, look at the back."

"I see nothing," said Ben, looking at the back.

"If you were a Shadowchaser you would see something," said Jalal. "You'd see our motto: 'Ignorance is not bliss, but knowledge is not power'.

"I know the second part doesn't make sense sometimes. Knowledge can indeed be power. What the motto means is, knowing the truth about how the world works doesn't make you superior to someone who doesn't.

"Now, the _first _part of the motto is usually right, but not always. If you found out what this horrible crime was, you might not forgive yourself."

"You can't change the past, Ben," said Nichole. "I know that only too well."

"I know..." replied Ben. "But I can learn from it. And once I know my whole past, I think I might find a way to end this curse...

"I don't want to be like this until the end of time, Jalal!"

Jalal sighed.

"So be it..." he said. "You may accompany them..."

"We traced Ravel's portal," said the technician. "It leads to a stronghold on Oinos, one of the three layers of the Grey Wastes."

"The night hags are very powerful there," said Jalal. "Some say that they rule the place by default. Ravel might have incredible influence."

"She's been gone a long time…" said Ben.

"Twenty years?" said Jalal. "To the natives of the Lower Planes, that means about as much as a week."

"I don't think entering the front door like a guest would be a good idea," said Dugan.

"No problem..." said the technician.

He started punching in some codes into a console.

"I think I can open a portal that will land you directly in her living room. You can ambush her that way."

"Dugan," said Jalal, "there are two rules about going to the Lower Planes.

"The first rule is, _don't_ do it unless you have to.

"The second is, if you have to, do your business fast, and leave as soon as you can."

He handed Dugan something. It looked like a small cube with different colored sides.

"This is a Cubic Gate, right?" asked Dugan.

"Yes," said Jalal. "If you all get in trouble, press down hard on the white side. It will send you and everyone in a ten-foot radius back to Earth.

"If for some reason you're cut off from Earth, the other sides of the Cube lead to Mechanus, Elysium, Bytopia, Arborea, and the demiplane of Inphirblau.

"Choose any one you want… All of them have natives that are friendlier than those in the Lower Planes.

"And unfriendly natives aren't the only thing you should be concerned about. I don't want you to stay longer than a day, whether you recapture her or not. The Grey Wastes present a danger simply if you're there."

Dugan was about to ask, but Jalal quickly followed up by explaining.

"The whole place is thick with an aura of despair and hopelessness that strikes the very souls of non-natives," he said. "Eventually, they are struck with supernatural depression. First, they lose the will to do whatever they came to do. Then they lose the desire to leave. Then they lose the will to do anything, even eat, and eventually starve to death, sobbing pitifully as they waste away.

"A day's visit seems to be safe, and some towns there are protected from the aura, but beyond that, it's a risk."

"Whoa…" said Nichole. "Thanks for the safety tip…"

"To give one example of how powerful the aura is," said the technician, "Hades makes his home there."

"The Greek god of the underworld?" asked Karl. "The elder brother of Zeus?"

"The one and the same," said the technician. "He's easily the most powerful living being in the Grey Wastes, but anyone who's studied mythology knows how gloomy and depressed he can be. Some say that even the most powerful gods can't live there for so long and not be affected."

"Maybe that's why he kidnapped Persephone and forced her to marry him," muttered Nichole. "He needed a companion to keep the place from completely overwhelming him."

"You aren't the first to think that," replied the technician.

He punched in a final code into his console.

"Any time you're ready, chief," he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Great Hall of the castle, as she called it, located in the exact center of the structure, Ravel stood on a balcony surrounding the large room, as her three henchmen carried a display case with something inside towards the center.

"Be careful with that!" she snapped. "I can get more from selling it than I could get from selling you three."

She descended the staircase into the large room as they set it down.

"Ven do you expect zese guests you speak of?" asked Belger.

Ravel sat on a gem-encrusted throne on the far end of the room and put her feet up on a footrest.

"If I know Jalal, they'd have been here already if he didn't likely have doubts about letting the important one come," she said.

"I'll handle that one myself… The rest of you can dispatch the others. I want them alive, by the way… A few prisoners might be the bargaining chips I need to keep Jalal from sending anyone else after me.

"Besides… After being kept in a cell for twenty years, throwing a few Shadowchasers in my dungeon is gonna be a pleasure.

"So we'll play by their rules this time, if you know what I mean… But we'll add a little extra spice to it, Grey Wastes-style."

The three henchmen nodded, and strange Duel Disks appeared on their left arms. Like the Orichalcos Chaos Disks, they were made of black metal, had trays shaped like scythes, and were covered with runes, but gold instead of green.

"Now get moving!" said Ravel.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Dugan: Ravel may be crazy, but it seems she's far from stupid. Her castle is crawling with hordlings, and after fighting them off, I come face-to-face with her misshapen servant Philippe.**_

_**Even worse, even if I defeat him, I'll have to find the others before trying to find Ravel. We're on her home field now, and it's her game.**_

"_**Dark Tide; The Summoner" is coming soon.**_


	22. Dark Tide, The Summoner

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**DUEL TWENTY-TWO**

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**Dark Tide**

**The Summoner**

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Dugan held his head. He always felt woozy after using a planar portal. He wondered if he'd ever get used to it.

He looked around in surprise. This was clearly not the hag's living room.

"A wine cellar?" he said.

It sure looked that way. Bottles of wine were in cubbyholes on one wall, and larger barrels stood along the other. The smell of fermented grape was in the spacious cellar, which was lit by a strange crystal in the ceiling which gave off a soft glow.

Then he realized something; Karl, Nichole, and Ben weren't with him.

He quickly took out his mobile.

"Karl! Can you hear me?" he asked.

Nothing. The phone was dead.

"What am I doing?" he said, pocketing it. "There likely aren't any AT&T wireless towers in this neck of the woods…"

He took the blunderbuss off his back and slowly walked for the stairway in front of him.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Ravel had conjured up a viewing portal similar to the one that Xane had used, and she and her three henchmen were watching Dugan. To say that Ravel was upset right now was an understatement.

"Uh, well…" said the hunchback. "At least the teleport trap worked… It separated them…"

"I would have preferred them in the subbasements, Philippe" growled Ravel, "_not _where my best wine is!"

"Vell…" said Belger. "To be perfectly honest… It's been a long time since ve've actually used it… Since you've been gone, ve've never really given anyone any reason to come here…"

Ravel waved her hand, and the scene in the portal changed.

"Oh…" she said. "That Nichole wound up just down the hall from my alchemy lab! If she breaks something in there…"

"Don't worry, milady," said the tuxedoed man, "we'll take care of them."

"Mistress," said Belger, "maybe you should change out of zat prison uniform."

"I dunno..." said Ravel. "I think I've kinda grown fond of it. Now get moving!

"Just remember, leave the green elf to me."

Three of them vanished in wisps of black smoke.

"In the meantime… I have to contact someone…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A blast from Dugan's blunderbuss hit a hordling, sending it tumbling over the body of another one he had taken out. He had learned quickly that trying to stun these practically mindless beasts did almost nothing, so his weapon was now set to maximum power.

Dugan was starting to realize what Jalal had meant by "no predetermined body form". In the past five minutes he had fought twelve hordlings, and not one of them looked anything at all like any of the others. Some had claws, some had big fists, and one even had tentacles. Most had two eyes, but two had one eye, and one had three eyes. Two had one horn, three had two horns, one had three horns, five were completely bald, and one had a scalp covered with small horns like Darth Maul. Not all of them were humanoid either. One of them was four-legged, while another slithered like a snake, and another sort of oozed like a snail. Two of them had wings, but seeing as they were indoors, Dugan had no idea if that meant they could fly.

In short, it seemed that hordlings only had one thing in common: They were all _ugly. _

He looked at the twelve dead hordlings around him, and then looked around. Then he was startled as they melted into foul-smelling goo.

"Just how many of these things are there?" he mused.

He sighed.

"What am I saying, there's likely _hordes _of them."

"Well, well, well," said a voice. "Seems you've made a pretty big mess in here…"

Dugan spun around, and saw Philippe standing there.

"Welcome to our humble abode, Major Dugan…" said the hunchback. "Sorry we're such awful hosts…"

Dugan leveled his blunderbuss at the henchmen.

"You'd best tell me where Ravel is, fellah," he said. "I've never shot a disabled man before, but I'm willing to start if you don't cooperate."

"Don't let that stop you, chrome-dome," replied Philippe.

Dugan frowned. He quickly switched the weapon to a lower setting.

"Okay buddy, you asked for it," he said.

He fired…

Then he stared in disbelief. Philippe was just smiling.

"Kind of tickles," he said.

"Okay…" said Dugan. "You're clearly not human…"

"Philippe Dumont, at your service," said the hunchback. "And yes, I'm human… Not a _normal _human, but still human…

"Before you ask, yes, I'm from France originally, but I was born long before Victor Hugo published his masterpiece _The Hunchback of Notre Dame, _so it's purely coincidental.

"I'm a demonologist… A mage who studies demons and occasionally summons them…"

"Dangerous work," said Dugan.

"I know," said Philippe. "Incredibly dangerous. It was rather routine at first, summoning beasts from the Abyss in order to gain the forbidden knowledge they held… But eventually, I made a mistake. It's why I've aged so slowly in the past five centuries, and why I look like this.

"See, I summoned a non-corporeal demon, the type that could possess mortals."

"Possess mortals?" asked Dugan. "Like in _The Exorcist?"_

"Sort of," replied Philippe. "But when I did, it was more powerful than I thought. It broke free of its containment vessel, and saw me as its next victim.

"I tried to bind it to another containment vessel, but believe me, casting a spell while a demon is trying to take over your body is difficult. I cast the spell successfully, but my body became the containment vessel. The demon became a prisoner inside me.

"Eventually, I dominated it, but not before I deteriorated into this ugly thing."

"This is really creepy…" said Dugan.

Philippe grinned.

"I may have had trouble getting a date for Saturday night for the past five centuries," he said, "but this did have its upside. I age far slower than most men… I'm almost impervious to harm…"

Then an aura of shadowy, black flames appeared around him.

"_And my power of dark magic is greater than it ever was before!" _

Dugan grit his teeth, and quickly set the gun to the high level again. He pointed it at Philippe.

"It won't hurt me, Major…" said Philippe, calming down. "Fortunately, Ravel wants you alive, and I know that she _can _hurt me.

"So… I'm willing to duel you…"

"In a Shadow Duel, I suppose?" asked Dugan.

Philippe chuckled and adjusted his goggles.

"You should know, Major…" he said. "In the Grey Wastes and every other Lower Plane, that's how _every _duel turns out…"

Dugan activated his Duel Disk, while Philippe's sinister-looking Disk activated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back in Chicago, it was eleven AM.

Marcus Hape entered a dining room with a large table, where Tiberius and Lorelei were already seated.

"Glad you could join us for brunch, Mr. Hape," said Tiberius.

Hape sat down.

"The Triad sent me a message…" he said. "Seems that ever since we started using those Equip Spells of yours, our progress has increased. We're ahead of schedule.

"In fact we…"

He stopped short. Everyone turned towards the entrance, where Xane was standing.

"You'll excuse me if I look shocked," said Tiberius. "You almost never leave that stuffy workroom of yours, Xane."

"I'm relaying a message I received," said Xane. "One from Ravel Darkquill…"

"Ravel Darkquill?" asked Lorelei. "I thought she was in the slammer…"

"She's escaped," replied Xane. "Anyway, she has an offer for you and the rest of the Doomdreamers..."

"Tell her I'm not in the market for slaves," said Tiberius.

"It isn't that, sir," said Xane. "She says that she has the Bringer of Doom, and that it is yours, for a price."

Lorelei chuckled.

"The Bringer of Doom..." she said. "Interesting... Just the thing for the megalomaniacal wizard who wants to see the entire population of a city dead, himself included."

"I see twenty years in prison has done nothing to make her any more lucid," said Tiberius. "The Bringer of Doom? _That's_ a little_ too_ crazy, even for me.

"Tell her I'll tell the Triad... But don't expect an offer any time soon."

As Xane left, Graves came in with plates of Belgian waffles.

_Darkquill is free? _thought Hape. _Hmm… I may have to excuse myself earlier than I intended…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Perfect atmosphere for a duel…" said Philippe. "The cobwebs, the Gothic architecture…"

"Who designed this place?" asked Dugan.

He looked around. Even if this place was located in Miami Beach and it was the middle of the day, it would still be scary. There were gargoyles everywhere, and Dugan had a feeling they were more than simple statuary.

"Beats me," said Philippe. "Ravel was living here long before I came to work for her.

"But enough chit-chat…"

**(Dugan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Philippe: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move…" said Philippe, as he made a draw.

Dugan watched as the hunchback set a card on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared in front of him.

"I'll leave off there for now," said Philippe.

"My draw…" said Dugan, as he made a draw.

"I'll throw this facedown," he said, setting a card, "and then summon Giant Rat."

The huge rodent clutching a skull in its right paw appeared in front of him. (1,400 ATK)

"Get it," said Dugan, pointing at the facedown Monster.

Giant Rat dropped to all fours, and scurried at the hidden Monster with its jaws snapping. A strange creature appeared on the card; a bug-like thing dressed in khaki shorts with a pack over its shoulder, holding odd objects in its six arms. Giant Rat made one big snap, and it shattered.

"Magical Merchant?" asked Dugan.

"That's right," said Philippe. "Which means…"

"I know what it means…" said Dugan, "you send cards from your deck to your Graveyard until you reach a Spell or Trap. So go ahead…"

Philippe picked up a card.

"Monster…" he said.

He picked up another one.

"Monster…" he said again.

He picked up a third.

"Ah, there we go…"

He added that one to his hand, and discarded the first two.

_I'm not sure what this guy's game is, _thought Dugan. _Magical Merchant has a lot of uses, but seeing as he only used it to send two Monsters to his Graveyard, it may not be one I'm familiar with._

"I end my turn," he said.

Philippe made a draw.

"I summon Gishki Noelia!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a surge of water shot up in front of him. A stern-faced female Spellcaster with red hair appeared, wearing a dress that seemed to be made of seashells and fins, and holding a staff with a sapphire-blue mirror on the end. (1,700 ATK)

"A Gishki Monster?" exclaimed Dugan.

He had heard of the Gishki, but had never faced them. Supposedly, their release had made Ritual Monsters other than Demise, King of Armageddon worth playing.

"You were expecting Fiends, I suppose?" asked Philippe. "Well, Gishki may not be Fiends, but they're very good with Ritual Summoning. And as a demonologist, complex rituals were the backbone of my craft.

"Now then, I use Noelia's effect. I reveal the top five cards in my deck, and if any of them are Ritual Spell Cards or Monsters with the word 'Gishki' in them, I send them to the Graveyard."

Five cards appeared in front of him. They were Pot of Avarice, Gishki Ceremonial Mirror, Mystical Space Typhoon, Mirror Force, and Fulfillment of the Contract.

"Hmm…" said Philippe. "Seems only this one qualifies…"

He took Gishki Ceremonial Mirror and discarded it.

"Now, I send these other four to the bottom of my deck…"

He placed the four cards on the bottom of his deck.

"…and then Noelia will attack your Giant Rat! Frost flash!"

Noelia pointed her staff, and fired a ray of pure cold at Giant Rat…

"I activate… Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" exclaimed Dugan, as his facedown card lifted up.

The metal scarecrow sprung up, and the blast of ice was blocked.

_Surprise, surprise… _thought Philippe, with a grin.

The scarecrow vanished, and the card set back on the field.

"It's your move, Major," he said.

Dugan made a draw.

_Not bad, _he thought.

"I summon Scrap Shark," he said.

In an explosion, the huge shark made of junk and metal with propellers for fins burst onto the field. (2,100 ATK)

"Attack Gishki Noelia!" he commanded. "Torpedoes away!"

Scrap Shark fired two torpedoes from each side of its mouth, and the Spellcaster was incinerated in an explosion that shook the room.

"Now, Giant Rat makes a direct attack!" continued Dugan.

Giant Rat scurried at Philippe and bit him on the arm.

**(D: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 6,200)**

"Not bad…" said Philippe, "but this is far from over…"

"You sure aren't putting up much of a fight," said Dugan. "I end my turn."

Philippe made a draw, and looked at the card.

"I summon Gishki Marker," he said.

There was another surge of water, and a bizarre Monster appeared. It looked humanoid, aside from the head. For a head, it had a large octopus, with eight long tentacles. It wore a blue pair of trousers, held a long spear in its humanoid arms, and two scimitars in two of its tentacles. (1,600 ATK)

"By summoning this creature," explained Philippe, "I can take either a Ritual Spell Card or a Ritual Monster with the word 'Gishki' in its name from my Graveyard."

_That's why he was so anxious to send cards to his Graveyard! _thought Dugan, as Philippe took a card from his discard slot.

"If I may butt in here," he said, "because you activated a card's effect, Scrap Shark is destroyed…"

Scrap Shark shattered into pixels.

"…but, that also means I get to take a Scrap from my deck and send it to the Graveyard."

He took Scrap Beast from his deck, and discarded it.

"Nice," said Philippe. "Here's the card I recovered, Gishki Ceremonial Mirror."

He played the card, and a strange mirror with sapphire-blue glass and a frame shaped like waves appeared beside him.

"Now, the Ritual Monster I want to summon normally requires six Levels worth of Monsters…"

He flipped a card in his hand around.

"But, due to Gishki Shadow's effect, he can do the job by himself, seeing as I'm summoning a Water Monster."

Another Monster appeared on the field, an elderly-looking, reptilian creature with blue skin, wearing priestly robes, holding a staff with a lantern on the end. It vanished in an aura of blue eldritch energy…

Then a much larger surge of water erupted onto the field, and a huge sea Monster stepped out. It looked reptilian, with gills and fins, a pebbly hide, and golden armor. (2,600 ATK)

"Meet Evigishki Tetrogre," said Philippe. "Now, I'm activating its effect. I choose one type of card, and each player sends a card of that type from his deck to the Graveyard.

"However, you can negate that effect by simply discarding a card from your hand.

"I choose Monster."

Dugan looked at him.

"I… don't think I'll negate it," he said.

"Suit yourself," said Philippe. "I'll discard this one."

He took a card from his deck, and tossed it in his discard slot. Dugan took Scrap Mind Reader from his deck and quickly did the same.

"Now then…" said Philippe, "Tetrogre, attack his Giant Rat with savage sea claw!"

Tetrogre roared, and lunged at the rodent. Dugan raised his hand, and the Scrap-Iron Scarecrow sprung up again, causing the Sea Serpent to smack right into it.

"You can only do that once a round," chuckled Philippe. "Ritua Marker, skewer that rat!"

The half-man-half-mollusk charged, and impaled Giant Rat with its spear.

"I use the effect of Giant Rat!" exclaimed Dugan.

A second Giant Rat appeared where the first had been. (1,400 ATK)

"Whatever," said Philippe.

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Ritual Cage. For as long as this Continuous Spell is in play, I take no Battle Damage from battles involving Ritual Monsters. And that's not all… My Ritual Monsters also can't be targeted or destroyed by the effects of Effect Monsters.

"It's your move…"

**(D: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 6,200)**

Dugan made a draw.

_He thinks he's got a pretty clever setup, _he thought. _Well… I can be clever too…_

"I summon Scrap Chimera!" he exclaimed.

With a roar, the mythical Beast made of plywood and metal bounded onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"Its effect summons Scrap Beast from my Graveyard…"

Scrap Beast materialized next to the two other Beasts. (1,600 ATK)

"…and that means it can give Scrap Chimera a Tune-up!"

Scrap Beast and Scrap Chimera flew towards the ceiling of the large hall, and dissolved into eight glowing stars.

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

With a loud roar, Scrap Dragon lowered itself onto the field beside Dugan. (2,800 ATK)

"Impressive," chuckled Philippe. "But you forget… Its effect can't destroy my Ritual Monster due to Ritual Cage."

"I didn't forget…" said Dugan. "That's why Ritual Cage is exactly what I'm going to destroy."

Scrap-Iron Scarecrow shattered, and Scrap Dragon breathed a cloud of toxic smoke, melting the Continuous Spell.

"Next," said Dugan, as a Continuous Spell appeared on his side of the field, "I play Domino Effect.

"Then my Dragon will attack! Turn that Gishki Marker into takoyaki!"

Scrap Dragon breathed its toxic blaze, and the octopus-man was blown to shards.

"Ergh, ergh…" muttered Philippe.

**(D: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 5,000)**

"Now I use the effect of Domino Effect," continued Dugan. "By sending my Giant Rat to the Graveyard, I can destroy another of your Monsters."

Giant Rat vanished, and Evigishki Tetrogre shattered into pixels.

"I suppose you think you're very smart…" grumbled Philippe.

"Look, pal, Ravel is going back where she belongs whether you like it or not," said Dugan, "and you certainly aren't going to stop me."

"And what will you do even if you defeat me?" asked Philippe. "Are you certain that your companions are having the same luck as you are? For all you know, Ravel may have gotten them by now… They may have been defeated and sent to this castle's torture chamber…"

Dugan paused.

"That's the worst case scenario," continued Philippe. "_Best _case scenario, you'll find them, and you all will confront Ravel… But she's at the seat of her power… She's more powerful than me… She's more powerful here than you could ever dream."

Dugan looked at him hard.

"I move to my second Main Phase…" he said, slowly, "and Special Summon Scrap Mind Reader from my Graveyard…"

The cute robot appeared next to the huge Dragon. (0 DEF)

"I end my turn…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ravel was watching, of course, and she loved the unintentional flattery.

"So good to sit back and relax and watch some quality entertainment," she said. "They didn't even let me watch television in that dump for the past twenty years. All I got were a bunch of cheap magazines and newspapers.

"Popcorn's done…"

She waved her hand, and a bag of microwave popcorn that had apparently just been popped, appeared next to her. She opened it, and unlike most people who did so, didn't even blink when the steam hit her face.

"I could really get used to this…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move…" said Philippe, making a draw.

"I play the Salvage Spell Card," he said, as a Spell Card materialized. "I now get to take two Water Monsters from my Graveyard with Attack Scores that are 1,500 or less…"

_He hasn't summoned any Monsters that weak, _thought Dugan, _but he has sent a few Monsters to his Graveyard without summoning them._

Philippe took two cards from his Graveyard, and looked at them.

"Next, I use the secondary effect of Gishki Ceremonial Mirror," he continued.

"Huh?" said Dugan. "But it's in your Graveyard."

"Exactly," replied Philippe. "When that Spell Card is in my Graveyard, I can send it back to my deck in order to take a Ritual Monster with the word 'Gishki' in its name from my Graveyard… Like the one I discarded with Tetrogre's effect."

His deck was shuffled, and a card slipped out of his discard slot.

"You see, Major, not unlike your Scraps, the Gishki are big on recycling.

"Next, I summon Maju of the Ten-Thousand Hands."

There was a flash of light, and an ugly creature with silver skin covered with a multitude of hands appeared in front of him. It likely didn't have ten-thousand, but it was impossible to count. (1,400 ATK)

"Now I use its effect, to get Gishki Ceremonial Mirror again…"

A card slipped out of his deck.

"Now I play… Double Summon," he continued, as he played another Spell Card. "Now I get a second Normal Summon.

"Come forth, Gishki Beast!"

There was another column of water, and another weird sea monster appeared. It looked like a cross between a large dog and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It wore an amulet that was a smaller version of the Gishki Ceremonial Mirror. (1,500 ATK)

"By summoning Gishki Beast, I get to bring a Level 4 or lower Gishki in my Graveyard back to the field in Defense Mode. So I'll bring back Gishki Shadow."

The elder Gishki appeared, kneeling and holding its staff in its lap. (1,000 DEF)

"And once again, I play Gishki Ceremonial Mirror," he said, as the magic mirror appeared next to him, "and sacrifice my Shadow to summon an even stronger Ritual Monster than the last…"

Gishki Shadow was consumed in blue flames, and vanished into an orb of light…

There was another huge wave of water, and a Monster even bigger than Tetrogre appeared. It combined the features of a shark, eel, and dinosaur, with a muscular body and thick, muscled arms, standing twelve feet tall. (2,800 ATK)

"Okay, that's really impressive…" said Dugan. "But all it can do is match my Dragon's strength, not beat it."

Philippe chuckled, and held up one of his remaining two cards, a Monster called Gishki Abyss.

"My Evigishki Soul Ogre doesn't have to battle your Scrap Dragon at all," he laughed. "By sending one Gishki from my hand to the Graveyard, he can send it back to your deck!"

He discarded the card, and Scrap Dragon roared. A large, watery portal appeared, and it was sucked into it.

_No! _thought Dugan. _All I have defending me is Scrap Mind Reader!_

"Manju, crush that Mind Reader!" shouted the hunchback. "Thousand-hand slap!"

The ugly Fairy hit the small robot with a flurry of slaps, and it shattered into pieces.

"Now, my Gishki Beast attacks directly!"

The Water Beast howled, and then spit a blast of blue energy from its jaws, hitting Dugan in the chest. Dugan grunted, and clutched his chest.

_Yep, _thought Dugan, _this is a Shadow Duel, all right._

"Wait, wait!" said Philippe. "My Soul Ogre is feeling left out…"

The huge Aqua roared, and slammed its mighty claw down, throwing Dugan off his feet and onto his back.

**(D: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 5,000)**

Dugan grunted. Slowly, he got up, sweat pouring from his brow…

"What are you made of?" asked Philippe in disbelief.

"I used to be a Marine," said Dugan. "There's a reason they call us 'leathernecks', you know… Not just because Marines used to wear leather collars back in the 1800's. It has a lot to do with the leather collars being stiff and tough, just like the soldiers who wore them.

"I believe it's my move…"

He drew a card.

"I summon Scrap Worm."

He played the card, and the vicious-little worm made of cords and wires bound together appeared in front of him. (500 ATK)

"Now I'll use its effect to attack you directly!"

Scrap Worm flew to the hunchback, and sank its teeth into his arm.

"Huh…" said Philippe. "I barely felt a thing…"

"Yeah?" said Dugan. "Well, when Scrap Worm attacks, it is then destroyed…"

The Insect shattered into pixels.

"…and I then get to take a Scrap Monster from my Graveyard."

Scrap Chimera came out of his discard slot, and he took it.

Then he held a Spell Card forward.

"Double Summon?" said Philippe.

"That's right," said Dugan, as he played the card. "I have one too…"

Scrap Chimera appeared on the field. (1,700 ATK) Then in an aura of energy, Scrap Beast appeared as well. (1,600 ATK)

"That means I can Tune them together once again…" said Dugan.

The two Scraps turned into eight glowing stars again…

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

Scrap Dragon appeared again, and this time, it was angry. (2,800 ATK)

"Time for some payback," said Dugan, "I'll destroy Domino Effect to wipe out your Evigishki Soul Ogre!"

The Continuous Spell Card shattered, and Scrap Dragon blasted the Ogre with its toxic breath, eradicating it. Philippe frowned.

**(D: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,500)**

"Unfortunately, I've already had my Battle Phase," said Dugan. "It's your move."

Philippe made a draw.

"I'll set this, and this," he said, setting both his cards.

Two set cards appeared, one in his Monster Zone, and one his Spell Zone.

"Then I'll move both my Monsters to Defense Mode…"

Manju covered itself with its multitude of arms. (1,000 DEF) Gishki Beast sat on its hindquarters. (1,300 DEF)

"…and my turn is over."

Dugan made a draw. He looked at it.

Then he set it on his Disk, and a set Spell or Trap appeared.

"I'm destroying this Spell Card to destroy your set Monster!" he said.

Scrap Dragon roared.

"Oh no you're not…" said Philippe.

His facedown card lifted up.

"I play Skill Shock!" he said. "I just have to give up one Monster…"

Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hands vanished.

"…and Scrap Dragon can't use its effect or attack this round."

Dugan looked at him.

"In that case," he said, as he took one of the last two cards from his hand. "I'll summon Scrap Hunter…"

The mechanized Scrap on tank treads appeared next to Scrap Dragon. (1,600 ATK)

Then the Spell Card he had just set lifted up.

"Then I play Scrapyard," he continued. "With this Spell, I get to take any Tuner with the word 'Scrap' in its name from my deck."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"Now, I destroy Scrap Hunter to summon it. Scrap Orthros, come on out!"

Scrap Hunter shattered into shards of scrap metal, and the two-headed version of Scrap Beast appeared. (1,700 ATK)

_Now let me think for a minute, _he thought. _I could attack Gishki Beast, but then, Gishki Beast can't do anything except the effect it uses when it's summoned…_

_Hmm… I wonder…_

"Scrap Orthros, attack the hidden Monster!"

Scrap Orthros breathed a bolt of green flames at the Monster, which true to Dugan's suspicion, was a Morphing Jar. It cackled before being blown to dust.

Philippe made five draws, while Dugan discarded his last card and made five.

He looked at his five cards for a minute.

"I'm done…" he said.

Philippe chuckled as he made a sixth draw.

"I play Tribute to the Doomed," he said, playing a card. "I'll toss one card…"

He discarded a Monster called Gishki Vanity.

"…to wipe out your Dragon!"

A mass of linens sprang up from the ground, binding Scrap Dragon. It roared, and the burst.

"Then, I activate Greed Grado," he said, as he played a Quickplay Spell. "Since I destroyed your Synchro Monster, I get to draw two cards…"

He made two draws.

"Yeah?" shouted Dugan. "Well, I use Scrap Dragon's effect! I'll summon Scrap Beast from my Graveyard in Defense Mode!"

Scrap Beast appeared, sitting on its hindquarters. (1,300 ATK)

"I summon Gishki Eater!" exclaimed Philippe.

He played a card, and another strange Water Monster appeared. It also looked like a cross between fish and eel, had a bright green body and a red face, and wing-like appendages on its shoulders. (500 ATK)

"Now, third time's the charm," he said, playing a Spell Card.

The Gishki Ceremonial Mirror appeared yet again. Gishki Beast and Gishki Eater turned into blue flames, and vanished.

"I call forth Evigishki Mind Augus!" he shouted.

There was another burst of water, and another large Monster appeared… Or rather, a medium-sized one riding a large mount. It looked like a woman with blue hair in a wizard's outfit and witch's hat, holding a staff with the Gishki Ceremonial Mirror on the tip. She was riding a fierce-looking sea Monster with long claws, teeth like claws, and sail-like fins. (2,500 ATK)

"Now I'll use her effect," continued Philippe. "I can take any five cards in either Graveyard and return them to the owner's decks."

One copy of Gishki Ceremonial Mirror, Gishki Vanity, Gishki Abyss, Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, and Gishki Shadow fell out of his discard slot. He added them to his deck, and the deck was reshuffled.

"Now, I'll make Mind Angus even stronger!" he laughed, while playing a Spell Card. "Since she's only Level 6, I can use Ritual Weapon!"

He played the card, and Mind Angus's staff vanished, replaced by a crossbow mounted on her wrist. (4,000 ATK)

_This is gonna sting… _thought Dugan.

Mind Angus fired a bolt of burning energy from the weapon, blowing Scrap Orthros to pieces and knocking Dugan down again.

**(D: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,500)**

Dugan groaned, and got up.

"My move…" he said.

He quickly drew a card.

Then he threw four cards into his Disk, and four facedown cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

"End…" he said.

Philippe chuckled as he made a draw.

He looked at the card. It was Salvage.

_Most of the time, _he thought, _attacking while your opponent had that many cards set in his Spell Zone would be the height of stupidity. What he doesn't know is, thanks to my special enchanted goggles, his set cards have been as plain to me as the nose on his face through this whole duel._

_The four cards are… Call of the Haunted, Limit Reverse, Miracle's Wake, and Urgent Tuning. None of them can stop these next attacks and keep me from winning the duel._

"I play Salvage!" he exclaimed, as he played the card. "It always helps to have a spare."

He took Gishki Beast and Gishki Eater from his discard slot.

"You remember Gishki Beast, right?" he asked.

The half-dog-half-fish leapt onto the field. (1,500 ATK)

"Now, just for the sake of novelty, I'll use its effect to summon Gishki Marker from my Graveyard."

The octopus man appeared, kneeling and holding its spear in its lap. (1,200 DEF)

"And I'll use its effect to get my Gishki Ceremonial Mirror again."

The first Ritual Spell slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"Now, let's wrap this up…" he said. "Gishki Beast… Attack _his _Beast!"

Gishki Beast glared hungrily at Scrap Beast…

"I activate… Call of the Haunted!" shouted Dugan.

One of his facedown cards lifted up, and Scrap Hunter reappeared. (1,600 ATK)

Philippe laughed out loud.

"Well…" he said. "You made this much easier! Mind Angus, attack that junk-bot!"

Mind Angus pointed her staff at the robot…

"You called off Scrap Beast's attack after the replay," said Dugan. "Can't attack with it now…"

Another facedown card lifted up.

"Go, Urgent Tuning!"

"Say WHAT?" shouted Philippe.

Dugan's two Monsters turned into seven stars, and soared towards the ceiling…

**(*4 + *3 = *7)**

Scrap Archfiend appeared, kneeling with its wings folded over it. (1,200 DEF)

"No way!" shouted Philippe. "You can use Urgent Tuning during MY Battle Phase?"

"Why yes…" said Dugan. "Maybe you would have known that if you used Synchros yourself…"

His eyes narrowed.

"You knew I had Urgent Tuning set, didn't you?" he said. "Somehow… You've been peeking at my cards… You've been cheating…"

"Prove it…" snarled Philippe, starting to sweat.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

While watching, Ravel was chuckling softly but soundly.

"Heh…" she said. "Poor Philippe… When will you learn that cheaters only cheat themselves?

"Heh, heh, like I should talk…

"Hmm… Think I'll have a little fun…"

She quickly chanted in an arcane language…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"What the?" said Philippe.

He adjusted the goggles he was wearing. Then he hit them with the palm of his hand.

He looked at Dugan, whom he now saw with two heads, four legs, and insect-like eyes.

"Problem?" asked Dugan. "X-ray specs not working now?"

"Fine…" said Philippe. "I'll remove them… But don't say I didn't warn you…"

He took the goggles off. Dugan stepped back in shock. 

Not many things scared him. But this was a lot to take in. Philippe's eyelids were sewn shut with very crude stitches.

"What the Hell?" said Dugan.

"Forget?" asked Philippe. "I have a demon trapped inside me. Demons are children of Chaos and beings of incredible wickedness. Its efforts to dominate me caused my eyes to deceive me, and make me envision waking horrors and nightmares almost constantly.

"Eventually, I was forced to put out my own eyes and rely solely on magical means in order to see. Blindness was preferable to the things that the demon's presence made me see with my normal sight.

"And that, dear Major, is far from the worst sacrifice I made to control the beast bound within me and gain its dark power."

"You could have just driven the demon out of yourself…" gasped Dugan. "But your hunger for power made you choose self-mutilation instead… You've become almost as much a monster as the demons you once summoned…"

"You aren't the first one to say that," said Philippe. "Heck, I won't deny it."

He quickly started casting a spell. Dugan recognized the language as Latin, but he couldn't decipher it.

A burst of flame appeared over Philippe's shoulder, and a burning skull with glowing eyes appeared next to him.

"What's that?" asked Dugan.

"A Hovering Skull," said Philippe. "Most wizards stop using this spell when they are no longer apprentices. It's little more than an illusion and a party favor. But since I could see through its eyes, I kept it on file. Those goggles aren't the only means I have to see.

"Now, let's get back to business… Before the… revelation, it was still my Battle Phase, a second replay had started, and my Mind Angus could still attack."

Mind Angus fired a bolt from her crossbow, blowing Scrap Archfiend to bits.

"I activate… Miracle's Wake!" exclaimed Dugan. "I'll bring Scrap Archfiend back to the field."

Another facedown card lifted up, and the scrap-metal Fiend appeared again. (2,700 ATK)

"It's your move, Major Dugan," said Philippe.

Dugan tried his best to look away from Philippe as he made a draw.

"I set a Monster, and a facedown card," said Dugan, as two set cards appeared, one next to Scrap Archfiend, and one behind it.

"Then, Limit Reverse!" he exclaimed, as the last of the initial four Trap Cards lifted up.

Scrap Worm appeared, hovering in mid-air. (500 ATK)

"My regular Dragon couldn't do the job," said Dugan, as Scrap Worm and Scrap Archfiend faded into nine glowing stars. "Let's see if something bigger can do it…"

**(*2 + *7 = *9)**

Scrap Twin Dragon lowered itself in front of Dugan, and let out an earsplitting double roar. (3,000 ATK)

"Now, I'll destroy Call of the Haunted to send two cards back to your hand," said Dugan.

He pointed to Gishki Marker and Evigishki Mind Angus. Then he turned to Scrap Twin Dragon.

"You know what to do, old pal…"

Call of the Haunted shattered, and the two Monsters vanished, their cards reappearing in Philippe's hand.

"Attack Gishki Beast!" shouted Dugan. "Toxic hurricane!"

Philippe tried to shield himself as Gishki Beast was blown to atoms, but he was still knocked down by the impact.

"Ow…" he said. "Ergh…"

**(D: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,000)**

He got up, panting for breath.

"All right…" he said, now sounding pissed. "Now I'm _mad._

"It's my move!"

He drew a card.

_Curses… _he thought. _Hovering Skull isn't nearly as good as those goggles… That set card and set Monster could be anything…_

"I'll resummon Gishki Marker," he said, as the octopus-man reappeared. (1,600 ATK)

"I don't think I have to explain its effect again," he continued. "I'll take my old friend Evigishki Tetrogre from my Graveyard.

"Then… Let's play Gishki Ceremonial Mirror one more time…"

Evigishki Mind Angus briefly appeared on the field. She was quickly consumed by the Ritual Spell's power, and Evigishki Tetrogre appeared with a roar. (2,600 ATK)

"Next, a Spell Card," he said, as he played another card. "Gift of the Martyr! I'll send Gishki Marker to the Graveyard, to increase Tetrogre's Attack Score by his."

(4,200 ATK)

"The difference between my Monster's Attack Score and yours is 1,200," said Philippe, "which is exactly how many Life Points you have… Do the math…

"Destroy Scrap Twin Dragon!"

Evigishki Tetrogre roared, and rushed at Scrap Twin Dragon…

"Go, Rush Recklessly!" shouted Dugan, as his facedown card lifted up. "It's an old card, but it's still a good one, especially now."

Scrap Twin Dragon's Attack Score rose to 3,700 ATK. Evigishki Tetrogre made two deep slashes with its claws, and the huge Synchro exploded into a burning heap of slag…

**(D: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,000)**

"Curse you!" shouted Philippe. "Why won't you just die!"

"I dunno," said Dugan. "Maybe it just goes against my nature. Like I told you before, you can't be a Marine without being tough…

"By the way, I'm using Scrap Twin Dragon's effect…"

Scrap Orthros appeared, and made two loud barks. (1,700 ATK)

"My move…" he said.

He made a draw.

"I think I'll play… My Pot of Avarice."

He quickly played the card, and took Scrap Dragon, Scrap Twin Dragon, Scrap Archfiend, Scrap Beast, and Scrap Chimera from his Graveyard. He shuffled his deck, and made two draws.

"This will do…" he said. "I sacrifice my set Monster…"

The hidden Monster vanished.

"Too summon Scrap Golem."

The large, bulky robot appeared, its optic sensors glowing. (2,300 ATK)

"Now, I can use its effect to summon Scrap Goblin from my Graveyard."

The small Beast-Warrior made of junk appeared next to Scrap Golem. (0 ATK)

"HUH?" said Philippe. "What… When was that in your Graveyard?"

"I sent it there when your Morphing Jar was flipped," said Dugan. "And you know, I could have won this duel by summoning it to _your _side of the field and attacking it with my two Monsters…"

Scrap Golem and Scrap Goblin turned into eight glowing stars.

"But I thought it would be a better idea to take you and that thing out with a friend of mine who's just as anxious to end this as I am…"

**(*3 + *5 = *8)**

"I have to admit, Philippe, you pushed me harder than I've been pushed in a long time. I've never had to Synchro Summon the exact same Monster more than twice…"

Scrap Dragon appeared in front of him, and let out a roar of pure rage. (2,800 ATK)

"…but what's that old saying? Third time's the charm?"

Dugan quickly played a Spell Card.

"I play… Riryoku," he said. "It decreases the Attack Score of one Monster by half, and increases the Attack Score of another by the same amount."

Evigishki Tetrogre groaned and held its chest. Its Attack Score fell all the way to 1,300. Scrap Dragon glowed with an eerie aura as its Attack Score rose to 4,100.

"Attack!" shouted Dugan. "Destroy Evigishki Tetrogre with toxic blaze!"

Philippe screamed as Scrap Dragon's lethal breath plowed into his Monster, blowing it to pieces.

Then he screamed even more as Scrap Orthros breathed two bolts of energy at him, knocking him down.

**(D: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 0)**

"Ergh…" he said. "Ergh… No…"

Shadowy energy started to rise around him.

"NO!" he screamed.

Dugan watched as the shadowy mist started to cover Philippe. Then he was shocked as he got a closer look, and could swear that shadowy claws were grasping at the hunchback.

The next minute, Philippe was gone.

Dugan stopped to take this in. What had Philippe said? Something about a torture chamber? Somehow he doubted that he had meant racks and thumbscrews. Creatures in the Lower Planes knew much better ways to inflict pain – a rack wouldn't hurt the natives of this place much anyway.

Did Ravel have some horrible place where she kept prisoners? Where losers were sent?

He hoped he didn't find out. He just had to find the others before _they _found out.

He lifted his blunderbuss and continued his search.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ben knew that they were trailing him. He could hear the growling and snarling of the hordlings in the hallway behind him as he quickly walked down it. He even saw their shadows sometimes. But they never attacked him, or even let themselves be fully seen.

_Ravel told them not to attack me, _he thought. _For some reason, she doesn't want me harmed._

_I don't know whether to feel relieved or scared out of my mind. _

He didn't know what he was going to do if they decided to come get him. He didn't have anything except his Duel Disk, and he doubted he could duel those creatures.

Then he noticed a door on the side of the hallway. On it was an odd sigil. He knew what it meant, for some reason. In the universal trade cant of the planes, it meant "armory" or "arsenal".

Ben rubbed his chin. Could he find a way to defend himself in here?

He tried the door. It wasn't locked, so he went in.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: The various deities worshipped by both humans and Shadowkind are as varied as the mortals who worship them. But they have one thing in common – they all have big egos. Sure, some are known for having bigger ones than others (Cyric comes to mind) but you'll never see a deity with an inferiority complex. As such, a god may make a mistake, but he'll rarely admit it, at least not to his worshippers. **_

_**St. Cuthbert, on the other hand… He once made a BIG mistake, and his worshippers know all about it. He wasn't truly a god yet when he made it, but the repercussions of this terrible mistake still plague mortals. His followers use this as a way of trying to get folks to reject Evil and embrace Good, but it remains the biggest shame he has to bear. **_

_**Some people complain that St. Cuthbert thinks that the lines between Good and Evil are too absolute. Well, it's very clear which side of that line the opponent I'm facing right now is on. In fact, his existence is one of the results of that terrible mistake that St. Cuthbert made so many ages ago…**_

"_**The Tempter; A Devil with the Details" is coming soon. **_


	23. The Tempter, A Devil with the Details

_I'd like to apologize to anyone I offended last chapter by saying that Demise was the only Ritual Monster worth using. I was wrong, period. In fact, in this meta, with Stardust Dragon being used by, well, everybody, Demise is no good anymore, as my friend Metal Overlord pointed out. There are many good Ritual Monsters to use, including, as he mentioned, Reshef the Dark Being and Relinquished, and Perfect Herald, a card that a friend of mine uses which I completely forgot about. _

_Anyway, here's the next chapter, and I truly hope with all my being that I will never feel the need to create another character with a Germanic accent again. Writing this was harder than you might believe._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL TWENTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Tempter**

**A Devil with the Details**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The room did indeed lead to an armory. Surrounding Ben were racks and shelves full of medieval-style weapons. There were swords, axes, spears, and other weapons typical of those used by foot soldiers in the Middle Ages.

Ben thought for a minute, and picked up a sword. He lifted it up, and ran his finger along the edge. It seemed a good blade…

But something seemed wrong. For some strange reason, he wasn't comfortable with this…

He put it down, and looked towards another rack. Then his eyes fell on another weapon. He picked it up and looked at it.

It was a bludgeon, kind of like an iron club, but better designed, and with far better balance. It was roughly three feet long, shorter than a baseball bat but roughly the same shape.

Ben knew what a mace was… It was a weapon that could deliver powerful blows, and deal more damage to soldiers wearing chain mail than swords could.

Somehow, Ben was more comfortable with this than he was with the sword. It was like he had used a mace at some point in the past…

He gave it a swing through the air to test it.

"This will do," he said. "Now to find the others…"

He went to the door and slowly opened it. After making sure the hordlings weren't there to ambush him, he went out and continued the way he was going.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nichole wiped her brow nervously as she ducked inside the room. Fortunately, the hordlings didn't follow.

She looked at her sword, which was stained with black blood. More of the foul stuff was staining her clothes, and she had no idea what new story she was going to tell the dry cleaner this time. She took some deep breaths.

This was heavy. She was used to fighting, but cutting her way through a room full of drooling, snarling fiends wasn't exactly the norm in Chicago, even in the bad part of town.

She looked around.

The room looked like a witch's kitchen. Pentagrams were drawn on the floor, books were held in cases, bottles and flasks were on tables, skulls with candles on them – some of them lit – were on stands, and an empty cauldron was situated in the center.

"Must be where Ravel cooks up her witch's brews," said Nichole.

She looked at a shelf full of old-fashioned Mason jars. Curiosity got the best of her. She went over and looked at them.

She took one down and looked at the label.

"Zombie mold?" she said.

She looked at the stuff. It looked like green moss.

She put it back, and took down a large jar full of things that looked teeth.

The label said "viper tree fangs".

"There are trees around here that have fangs?" she said.

She made a face and looked at another one, which was full of things that looked like hairy peas. She put down the jar of fangs and picked up the new one.

"Troll warts?" she said, looking at the label.

"Lovely… All that's missing here is the eye of newt…"

"It vent bad," said a voice behind her. "Ve had to throw it avay."

Nichole turned around, and saw Belger come in. The well-dressed fiend took her very much by surprise.

"You use bad eye of newt," he said, "you ruin zee whole brew."

Nichole quickly put the troll warts back on the shelf.

"Some sort of demon…" she said lifting her sword.

"Devil, Ms. Belvins…" replied Belger. "And might I add, ve don't like being mistaken for demons."

"Yeah…" said Nichole. "I heard you don't like each other much… Uh… You don't seem to have the right… fashion sense for a devil…"

"You expected armor?" asked Belger. "Vell, I vasn't a warrior who fought in zee Blood Wars, Ms. Belvins. I vas vat I believe you mortals call a harvester devil."

Nichole's eyes opened wide.

"The fiends who make Faustian Pacts with mortals?" she gasped.

"Vell, zey used to do zat more than zey do now…" said Belger, with a sigh.

He took off his sunglasses.

"Zese days, ven harvester devils make Faustian Pacts, zey become much harder to deliver zeir end of zee bargain. A mortal vants riches, but zese days, wealth has to come from somewhere. A mortal vants to marry some beautiful woman, but marriages can't be bought as easily as zey could in zee old days. A mortal vants to instigate revolution in zee United States… Ve can tell him it vill work, but…"

"Instigate revolution…" said Nichole.

She paused for a minute.

"You mean… Like Timothy McVeigh wanted to?"

Belger chuckled.

"You should have seen it ven he brought his case up in zee Infernal Court of Maladomini," he said.

"Who are they?" asked Nichole.

"If a mortal vants to contest a Faustian Pact," replied Belger, "he has a right to do so zere. Basically, zey'll only listen to two arguments: one, zat zee pact vas signed out of duress, or two, zat zee mortal did not get vat he vas promised.

"McVeigh had said before his execution zat he vould 'improvise, adapt, und overcome' if zere vas a Hell. He doubted his own words ven he first saw zee place, und insisted on contesting zee Pact he made.

"And zee judge actually ruled in his favor, saying zat he did _not _get zee revolution he vas promised. He rendered zee Pact void.

"Zen zee judge grinned, und told McVeigh zat his soul vas as black as zat of any devil, und zat he belonged in Hell anyway. Everyone got a good laugh out of it."

He sighed.

"At least zat's vat Ravel told me… I vish I had been zere…

"Anyway… Nowadays, harvester devils mostly just tempt mortals to evil deeds, keep sin going und making sure souls find zeir vay to Hell naturally. Call it cruel, but it's usually zee only vay devils can increase zeir numbers, vich zey must do if zey are to have any chance in zee eternal Blood Wars."

Nichole was very upset now. But she was very curious as to why this guy kept talking in the past tense while referring to himself.

"You said 'their' and 'they'," she said. "I take it you aren't doing this anymore personally?"

"Sadly no…" replied Belger. "You seem intelligent… Have you ever read a novella written by one of your species' authors called _The Screwtape Letters?"_

"Yes I have, in fact," replied Nichole. "In school."

"Zen you know zee plot," continued Belger, "how zee senior devil Screwtape tried to advise his nephew Wormwood on how to tempt a mortal, only for Wormwood to mess up time and time again, and fail miserably."

"So did you mess up like Wormwood and get in trouble?" asked Nichole.

"No!" shouted Belger, angrily. "I vas an excellent tempter."

His voice sank to a whisper.

"Mein specialty vas 'professional celebrities'," he said with a smirk. "You know zee type… Spoiled brats who never did any real work in zeir lives who vere famous from association, who thought zey could make a career out of doing nothing but being famous. I vas great with those guys. Even five-hundred years ago, ven I vas still in business, zere were plenty of folks like zat.

"Thing vas, I had zee same problem as Screwtape. I took several young devils as apprentices, and most of zem messed up in zee most humiliating ways. Most of zem made zee same mistake zat Wormwood made, trying to tempt mortals into overt acts of violence and carnality. A veteran tempter knows zat zee proper vay to lead a mortal into evil must be gradual.

"Some mortals even found loopholes in the poorly written Faustian Pacts zey drafted, und pulled zee same fast ones zat devils pride _themselves _for being able to do!

"I had numerous rivals who were looking for an excuse to get me in trouble. After one too many bad apprentices, I vas stripped of mein post."

"Hold on…" said Nichole. "Your students screwed up, and all the blame fell squarely on you? That doesn't seem entirely fair…"

Belger chuckled.

"It _isn't _fair, Ms. Belvins…" he said. "It's zee politics of Hell.

"I vas about to be reassigned to zee front lines of some infernal army, vich I knew vould be a death sentence for a paper-pusher like me. I chose self-exile instead, und ven Ravel vas offering employment it vas zee best I could take, so I took it."

"Yeah, where is Ravel?" asked Nichole.

"None of your business!" snapped Berger.

The remark was so sudden that Nichole took two steps backwards. Belger replaced his sunglasses.

"Here's zee deal, Ms. Belvins…" said Belger. "I may not be very strong compared to other devils, but I'm far stronger zan those hordlings outside zat you just cut your vay through. If I vanted to kill you, you'd be at mein mercy…

"_However, _Ravel is even stronger… So I do as she commands… And she vants you to live… For now."

He lifted his Duel Disk.

"And seeing as zee only physical fighting techniques devils are taught are designed vith killing zee opponent in mind, you vill face me in a Shadow Duel…"

Nichole looked at him hard.

"Well…" said Nichole. "If you put it that way… I accept… Just one minute…"

She opened the chamber on her Duel Disk where the Extra Deck was kept.

"Vat are you doing?" asked Belger.

"Removing Jalal's card," replied Nichole.

She placed Dragonprince Jalal in her Side Deck.

"If I'm going to face you in a duel with such high stakes, it's going to be as a member of St. Cuthbert's House, not as a Shadowchaser."

Belger laughed out loud.

"Vy certainly!" he laughed. "Ve devils _adore _St. Cuthbert! Zere's an old legend zat says…"

"I know all about that old legend!" shouted Nichole. "That's why I want to face you like this! It's our greatest shame…"

Nichole let out a great sigh… Few gods would admit their mistakes to their worshippers, but St. Cuthbert had once made a _terrible _mistake, and was all too willing to let it be known, so that mortals would hopefully know not to trust tempters like Belger.

Eons ago, or so the legend goes, centuries after the fall of Lucifer, the Gods of Law grew concerned about the growing problem of sin among mortals. Then Lucifer made a proposition. He drafted a document called the Pact Primordial, which if approved, would put him in charge of punishing sinners, using his realm, his Hell, to do so.

Many of the lawful gods objected. Could they trust the Fallen One? St. Cuthbert, who at that point was not yet a god, but had evolved to a lofty point to become an Exemplar of Justice, thought so. As an advisor to the Gods of Law, he argued vehemently for the approval of this Pact Primordial, thinking that it would further the cause of justice and deter the violation of Law. Although he was not allowed a vote in the final decision, his influence lead to its approval.

But centuries later, he realized he had made a grave error. From the instant his realm of punishment was established, Lucifer started to exploit the loopholes in his Pact, and used it to _encourage _evil among mortals. From that point on, Lucifer would be the Tempter and the Deceiver, and Hell would grow strong with every soul it obtained. St. Cuthbert would regret his decision for the rest of his immortal existence, but he would forevermore side with Good instead of simply supporting Law and standing in the middle ground between its moral components.

"Eh, suit yourself…" said Belger.

His sinister Duel Disk activated, and Nichole activated hers.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Belger: 8,000)**

"I always let mein opponent make zee first move," said Belger.

Nichole drew a card.

_He just wants the first attack, most likely, _she thought, as she looked at her opening hand. _Well, let's see him get by this gal…_

"I summon… The Unfriendly Amazon!"

With a battlecry, a tall, statuesque female Warrior dressed in a drab grey battle dress with a long ponytail down her back leapt onto the field, holding a two-handed sword. She glared at Belger. (2,000 ATK)

"I'll set this," she continued, as a hidden card appeared in her Spell Zone, "and my turn is over…"

Belger made a draw, and looked over his hand.

"Let's see," he said. "So many interesting possibilities…

"I think I'll set a Monster…"

A horizontal set card appeared in front of him.

"…and zat vill be all for now…"

"And I'll activate _this," _said Nichole, as her facedown Quickplay Spell lifted up. "Scapegoat!"

Four fluffy Sheep Tokens emerged from the card, two to either side of The Unfriendly Amazon. (0 DEF x4)

"Now I'll draw," she said, making a draw. "And to compensate for my Unfriendly Amazon's unusual strength for a Level 4 Monster, I have to sacrifice a Monster during each of my Standby Phases to keep her around.

"So, I'll get rid of one Scapegoat…"

The red Sheep Token vanished.

"…and then she'll attack your Monster!"

The Unfriendly Amazon leapt at the hidden Monster. Sangan appeared on the card, and was cut in half.

"Thank you," said Belger. "You're too kind…"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

Nichole sighed.

"I end my turn…" she said.

Belger drew a card.

"Let's see, vat next?" he said.

"First, I play Allure of Darkness," he said. "I first draw two cards."

He drew two cards from his deck.

"Zen, I remove vun Dark Monster in my hand from play, or I lose my entire hand."

He took a card from his hand, and placed it in a pocket inside his jacked.

"Zen I summon Dark Resonator," he continued.

There was a dark shadow, and one of Jack Atlas's signature Fiend-Type Tuner Monsters appeared, this one the Dark-Attribute member of the group, emerged. It grinned at Nichole. (1,300 ATK)

"I'll set zis," said Belger, as a facedown card appeared behind Dark Resonator, "and zen it's your turn."

Nichole looked at him suspiciously as she made a draw.

_Dark Resonator can survive one battle per turn, _she thought. _Fortunately, I have another Monster I can summon…_

"I sacrifice another Sheep Token to keep The Unfriendly Amazon," said Nichole, as the blue Sheep Token vanished.

"Then, I summon Amazoness Archer!" 

Another Warrior leapt onto the field. Like her name suggested, she held a bow and a quiver of arrows. She wasn't wearing a bikini top or breechcloth like most of the Amazoness tribe did, but rather a jacket over a halter top and a short skirt. (1,400 ATK)

"Archer, attack his Dark Resonator!" she shouted.

Archer drew an arrow back on her bow, and fired. Dark Resonator grimaced as the bolt hit it.

"Unfriendly Amazon, finish the job!" she commanded.

The muscular Warrior woman lifted her sword.

"Surprise!" said Belger, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "I activate Bark of Dark Ruler!

"By paying any amount of mein Life Points I desire ven I have a Fiend on the field, I can reduce your Monster's scores by zee same amount.

"So… I believe 800 points will be enough."

The Unfriendly Amazon's Attack Score plummeted to only 1,200. Dark Resonator grinned, and struck its tuning fork. A wave of destructive sound shot at the Warrior, blowing her to pieces.

Nichole frowned.

"It's still my turn, pal!" he said. "I use Amazoness Archer's effect…"

Archer drew another arrow.

"By sacrificing my two remaining Scapegoats, she can shoot a special arrow that deals 1,200 points of damage!"

The two Sheep Tokens vanished, and Archer fired. Belger grunted as it hit him.

She set a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

_Amazoness Archers should help if he tries to make an attack, _she thought.

"NOW I end my turn," she said.

**(N: 7,900) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,900)**

"My draw…" said Belger, drawing a card.

"I play… Zee Equip Spell, D.D.R. – Different Dimension Reincarnation," he said. "By tossing vun card from my hand, I can bring back a Monster zat has been removed from play, so long as I Equip it vith zis card."

He discarded a card from his hand.

"You're summoning the Monster you removed from play to use Allure of Darkness," said Nichole.

"Exactly," said Belger. "As vell as zee Monster I searched for vith Sangan. So… Here's zee Meister himself… Toichi, Hell Debt Collector!"

A portal appeared, and a fiendish form strode out of it. It was a portly fiend, with bull-like horns and blue skin, wearing, of all things, a stylish business suit and a tie. He carried a leather briefcase. (1,300 DEF)

"Who's that?" asked Nichole, raising an eyebrow. "Another harvester devil?"

"Vy, yes," replied Belger. "I may have lost my ability to make deals vith mortals myself… But I can still live out my old job in spirit vith zee creatures in my deck."

Nichole took a long look at Toichi.

"Next," said Belger, as he played another Spell Card, "I play Dual Gate. By removing zis card und zee Dual Gate I just discarded from play, I get to make two draws."

He placed the two cards in his jacket, and made two more draws.

"Next, I summon Hell Trader."

Another Fiend appeared, one who appeared to be another harvester devil. It was slimmer than Toichi, but like Toichi, was dressed in a three-piece suit. It had bat-like wings and long horns on its head. Most remarkably, it was holding a mobile phone that was as big as itself. (0 ATK)

_Lovely… _thought Nichole. _Another Monster with zero Attack Points… What nasty surprise does this one have?_

"I'll set two cards facedown," said Belger, as two reversed cards appeared behind his Monsters, "und move Dark Resonator to Defense Mode…"

Dark Resonator crossed its arms. (300 DEF)

"…und zen it's your turn…"

Nichole paused before making a draw.

_Have to be careful here… _she thought.

She drew a card.

It was Amazoness Swords Woman.

_Not bad, _she thought.

"Go, Amazoness Swords Woman!" she shouted.

Swords Woman leapt onto the field, swinging her mighty blade. (1,500 ATK)

"You triggered mein Trap!" laughed Belger, as one of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Endless Loan?" said Nichole. "What the heck does that do?"

"It gives you vun of zese venever you summon a Monster," replied Belger.

Nichole was startled as another Monster appeared on her side of the field. It looked like an ugly little imp hefting a large weight on its shoulders with "1000p" printed on it. (0 DEF)

"It's called a Loan Token," said Belger. "Don't try using it to use your Archer's effect… It can't be sacrificed…

"But… You can destroy a Loan Token by discarding a card from your hand. _However… _Should you decide to do zat…"

His other facedown card lifted up.

"Zee effect of mein Magical Thorn vill activate, dealing 500 points of damage to you."

Nichole grinned.

"Well… I think I'll keep all my cards for now…" she said. "And thanks for showing me what your two Trap Cards were… Now your Monsters are completely defenseless!

"I play The A. Forces!"

She played a card, and a Continuous Spell appeared behind her Amazons.

"This gives my Warriors 200 Attack Points for each Warrior I have."

Amazon Archer rose to an Attack Score of 1,800, while Swords Woman rose to 1,900. 

Amazoness Archer aimed her bow at Hell Trader. She fired, and Hell Trader exploded into black shards.

"ERGH!" grunted Belger.

Then he chuckled softly.

"Not bad…" he said. "But by destroying Hell Trader, its effect activates, giving you a second Loan Token!"

Another of the ugly Tokens appeared on Nichole's side of the field. (0 DEF)

"Yeah?" said Nichole, now sounding irked. "Well, I'm not done with you… Swords Woman, attack his Hell Debt Collector!"

Swords Woman made a rush at Toichi, but the Hell Debt Collector simply made an annoyed frown.

Then he pulled out a document, and shoved it in Swords Woman's face. She stopped short.

Then she turned around, and walked away.

"What's going on?" asked Nichole. "What was on that paper?"

"It's a restraining order," replied Belger, "preventing your Monsters from harming him.

"In game terms, Ms. Belvins, Toichi can't be destroyed by battle so long as you have at least vun Loan Token.

"Still vant to keep zem? Or vill you discard your cards to destroy zem."

Nichole looked at the three cards in her hand. They were Amazoness Fighting Spirit, Pot of Avarice, and Amazoness Spellcaster.

_I'd better keep these for now, _she thought. _At least I'm still winning._

"I end my turn…" she said.

**(N: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 4,100)**

Belger made a draw.

"I play zee Spell Card, Dark Room of Nightmare," he said, as a Continuous Spell appeared next to his two Continuous Traps."

"Oh no…" muttered Nichole. "That deals 300 extra points of damage whenever he deals effect damage… He must be using some sort of Burn strategy."

"Zat's right, Ms. Belvins," said Belger. "Every round, Toichi can deal 1,000 points of damage to you for every Loan Token you have. He's a debt collector, after all."

Toichi snarled, and held up a different document. Nichole screamed as a fiery aura hit her, and she fell to her knees.

_Yep… _she thought. _This is a Shadow Duel… I definitely felt that…_

Belger set a card, and a facedown card appeared behind Toichi.

"It's your move, Ms. Belvins," he said.

**(N: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 4,100)**

_Okay, need a winner here…" _thought Nichole.

She made a draw.

She smirked when she saw what it was.

"I play the Equip Spell, Amazoness Heirloom!" she exclaimed, throwing the card into her Disk.

Swords Woman held out her arms, and the fancy breastplate and gauntlets bonded to her.

"Vat's this?" asked Belger.

"This Equip Spell lets an Amazon automatically win a battle," said Nichole. "In other words, Swords Woman just found a loophole in Toichi's restraining order."

A look of shock came over the Hell Debt Collector's face.

"Seems he's no better at this sort of thing than you apprentices were, is he?"

She turned to Swords Woman and pointed to Toichi.

"Sic 'em," she said.

Swords Woman rushed up to Toichi and made a savage slash with her weapon. Papers went flying as the Hell Debt Collector was propelled backwards. He burst into black shards.

"I end my turn," said Nichole. "Next round, your Dark Resonator is history. I can use Heirloom's effect to get rid of him too."

Belger frowned as he drew a card.

"Oh, I beg to differ," he said.

He activated his facedown card.

"I activate Remove Brainwashing," he said. "I'll be taking those Loan Tokens I gave you back."

The two Loan Tokens vanished, and then reappeared on Belger's side of the field.

"But why?" asked Nichole. "What good are…"

She stopped short.

"You're going to Tune them with Dark Resonator to make a Synchro Summon, aren't you?"

"Not quite," replied Belger. "I needed zem to use zis."

He held up a Spell Card.

"I play Token Sundae," he said. "Zis Spell destroys all of my Token Monsters…"

The two Loan Tokens shattered into pebbles.

"…and zen destroys vun of your cards for each Token I destroyed."

Nichole gasped as Swords Woman and Archer both exploded into shards.

_No! _she thought. _Now I'm defenseless!_

She looked at her facedown Amazoness Archers card, which was worthless without an Amazon on the field…

"I play Magic Planter," continued Belger, playing another Spell Card. "For zee cost of vun Continuous Trap Card…"

A mass of vines coiled around the Remove Brainwashing card, and it dissolved into globules of light.

"…I get to make two draws…"

He snatched two cards off of his deck.

"Come to think of it, I think I vill make a Synchro Summon," he continued. "I'll bring out Winged Minion."

A small, nasty-looking imp with a lamprey-like mouth and bat-like wings wearing a ragged pair of shorts appeared. (700 ATK)

"Und I think it vill resonate quite vell with my Dark Resonator…"

Dark Resonator struck its tuning fork, and an eerie vibration sounded. The two Monsters turned into five glowing stars…

**(*3 + *2 = *5)**

"I Synchro Summon… Xander, Hell Law Clerk!" exclaimed Belger.

Another Fiend appeared, and once again, it was wearing an expensive-looking three-piece suit. However, its head suggested a rodent more than anything else, with forward-pointing horns. (1,600 ATK)

"A lawyer who's also a rat…" said Nichole. "Who knew?"

"Make all the lawyer jokes you vant," said Belger.

Xander drew a long knife out of his jacket.

"Zis one is zee _original _devil's advocate."

Nichole screamed as the rat-Fiend jabbed the knife into her torso. She fell on one knee.

**(N: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 4,100)**

"I'll set zis facedown," he said, as a new facedown card appeared in his Spell Zone. "Und zen you go…" 

Nichole sweat as she made a draw.

She looked at the card. It was Amazoness Village.

_Damn… _she thought. _I drew this one round too late…_

She looked at the other three cards she had, Amazoness Fighting Spirit, Pot of Avarice, and Amazoness Spellcaster. Everything she had was worthless at this point.

"Nothing to summon, Ms. Belvins?" asked Belger. "Zen perhaps ve can make a deal…"

"A guy with horns wants to make a deal with me?" asked Nichole, with a suspicious glare. "Excuse me if I sound blunt, but…"

"No worries…" chuckled Belger. "I don't deal in mortal souls anymore… My license to do so vas revoked…"

His facedown Trap Card flipped up.

"It's called Despised Treaty," he said. "Now, listen carefully… If you agree to the terms of zis treaty, you get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Monster from your deck, und I get to draw two cards.

"Refuse, und I lose 1,000 Life Points.

"Take all the time you vant to decide…"

Nichole looked at him.

_If I refuse it's gonna hurt me more than it will him… _she thought. _It's risky summoning another of those Loan Tokens, but…_

"I accept!" she exclaimed. "I'll send out my second Swords Woman!"

Another Swords Woman materialized (1,500 ATK) – (1,700 ATK) and another Loan Token appeared on Nichole's side of the field. (0 DEF)

Belger grinned, and made two draws.

"Next, I play Amazoness Village!" she exclaimed.

She placed the card in her field slot, and the jungle village quickly rose around them, under a dark and foreboding sky. Swords Woman's Attack Score rose to 1,900.

"All right, Swords Woman," she said. "Slay his Law Clerk!"

Swords Woman leapt at the rat-devil, and swung down with her sword…

But Xander simply caught the blade as it came down, and was unharmed.

**(N: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,800)**

"Don't tell me it has the same effect as Toichi!" shouted Nichole.

"He's _better _than Toichi," replied Belger. "He cannot be destroyed if attacked by a Level 4 or lower Monster…

"_But… _seeing as I took damage from zat attack, und you're done attacking zis round, its effect activates, and…"

A second Loan Token appeared on Nichole's side of the field. (0 DEF)

"Oh crap…" she said.

She sighed.

"I… end my turn…" she said.

Belger made a draw.

_I'll save zis for later, _he said.

"Don't be so quick to judge Xander," he said. "He's very good at getting rid of fraudulent loans. I'll show you…

"Xander, attack one of Ms. Belvins' Loan Tokens!"

Xander snarled, and leapt at one of the two weighed-down imps. He slashed with his knife, cutting it in half, weight and all.

"So why did you…" asked Nichole.

Then she clutched her chest, and fell to her knees, wincing in pain.

"He doesn't do it for free, of course," said Belger, with a grin. "Every time he crushes vun of your Loan Tokens, his final effect activates, und you take 1,000 points of damage. Plus, zere's zee added effect of Dark Room of Nightmare…"

**(N: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,800)**

"I end mein turn," he said.

Nichole slowly made a draw. She looked at the card.

"I play Magical Mallet!" she shouted, as she played it.

"I'll take these three cards…"

She put Amazoness Fighting Spirit, Pot of Avarice, and Amazoness Spellcaster back into her deck.

"…reshuffle…"

The Disk reshuffled the deck.

"…and make three new draws."

She drew three cards.

She looked at her new hand. She had some better cards now: Amazoness Acrobat, Amazoness Willpower, and Mystical Space Typhoon.

_Hmm, Amazoness Acrobat… _she thought. _Could be useful… Trouble is, I'm not allowed to Normal Summon her if I already have a Monster out…_

She looked at the Loan Token.

_Maybe this ugly thing could actually help me out here_. _But first thing's first…_

She quickly played Mystical Space Typhoon. The cyclone ripped across the field, and blew Endless Loan to pieces.

"HEY!" shouted Belger.

"I'll set one card," said Nichole, as she set Amazoness Willpower, "and then I'll discard this card to destroy the last Loan Token."

She discarded Acrobat's card, and the last Loan Token burst into shards.

"I activate Magical Thorn's effect!" exclaimed Belger.

Nichole groaned, and held her chest.

**(N: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 3,800)**

"My turn is over…" she said.

Belger slowly made a draw.

Then he set a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared in his Spell Zone. He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn.

_He didn't attack, _thought Nichole. _That means his Hell Law Clerk has a weakness…_

_It can survive if it's attacked by a Level 4 or lower Monster… But not if it attacks one…_

"I draw one card…" she said.

She drew. She looked at the card.

"I activate… Battle Mania!" exclaimed Belger, as his facedown card flipped up. "Now, your Swordswoman has no choice but to attack my Law Clerk this turn!"

"Actually, it will be my pleasure," said Nichole, with a grin. "But she won't be the only one attacking…

"First, I summon Amazoness Fighter…"

She played the card she had just drawn, and the buff Amazoness appeared, flexing her muscles. (1,500 ATK) – (2,100 ATK)

"Then, I activate Amazoness Willpower!" she exclaimed, as her facedown card shot up. "I'll bring Amazoness Acrobat back from the Graveyard."

The agile young Amazoness holding a bo leapt onto the field, and did a flip. (1,100 ATK)

"With the combination of The A. Forces and the Field Spell," said Nichole, "all three of my Amazons gain 800 Attack Points!"

Acrobat rose to an Attack Score of 1,900, while Swords Woman and Fighter rose to 2,300 apiece.

Behind his sunglasses, Belger's eyes opened wide…

"Time to battle!" shouted Nichole. "Swords Woman, you first! Attack that Law Clerk!"

Swords Woman slashed her blade across Xander's chest. He didn't shatter, but he howled in pain.

"Fighter, you next!" continued Nichole.

Fighter clocked the infernal lawyer across the face, and he howled again.

"Next…" said Nichole, "I use Acrobat's effect to attack you directly!"

Acrobat leapt up high, did a flip, and kicked Belger in the face, knocking him down and knocking the sunglasses off of him.

Two Loan Tokens appeared on Nichole's side of the field. (0 DEF x2)

**(N: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 500)**

Belger slowly got up to his feet. He was burning mad… Literally. Wisps of hellfire were surrounding him, and his eyes were glowing red.

"That supposed to scare me?" asked Nichole. "Truth be told, I've fought your kind before…

"Let me tell you something… Your earlier presumption that I would have been at your mercy if you had attacked me outright wasn't entirely true."

"Lies…" said Belger. "You're fortunate right now zat zis Shadow Duel can't end until a winner is decided…

"I believe it's my move!"

He drew a card.

_Underworld Cyclone… _ he thought. _Just vat I needed to bring zis to a close…_

He took another Spell Card.

"I've been waiting for just zee right time to play zis," he said. "Supremacy Berry vill pad my points by 2,000.

"Zen, I play Underworld Cyclone."

He played the Spell Card he had just drawn.

"By removing vun Fiend-Type Monster in my Graveyard from play, I get to banish vun of your Spell or Trap Cards."

Nichole's The A. Forces dissolved into particles of light. All three of her Amazons lost 800 Attack Points.

"Now my Law Clerk is going to put your Acrobat out of commission," he continued. "But not before I play zee Equip Spell, Cursed Bill!"

He played the card, and a document flew towards Amazoness Acrobat and stuck to her bikini top.

"When vun of your Monsters is Equipped vith Cursed Bill, you take damage equal to her Defense Score ven she's destroyed. Combined vith Battle Damage und Dark Room of Nightmare, zat's a total of 1,500 points!"

Xander made a rush at Amazoness Acrobat…

_Now's the time… _thought Nichole.

"I activate… Amazoness Archers!" she shouted.

"Huh?" said Belger, as Nichole's Trap Card, the one she had set four turns ago, flipped up. The squad of scantily clad female archers appeared, and opened fire on the Hell Law Clerk. He grunted as the pierced his suit, and his Attack Score fell down to 1,100…

Acrobat gave him a solid kick, and he was propelled backwards, shattering into a thousand pieces.

Belger snarled and bore his fangs. He looked at the last card in his hand. Then he set it, and it appeared in his Spell Zone.

_I can still finish this next round, _he thought.

**(N: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 2,300)**

"I draw one card…" said Nichole.

She made a draw.

"Hmm…" she said.

"Trap activate!" exclaimed Belger. "Escape from the Dark Dimension!"

Just like before, the dark portal appeared, and Toichi, Hell Debt Collector strode out. (1,300 DEF)

"You remember his effect, right?" asked Belger. "Next round, he can inflict 1,000 points of damage for each Loan Token you have. That's 2,300 points total.

"Even if you discard that card to destroy one of zem, you'll take 800 points of damage from Magical Thorn, and he can finish it anyway."

Nichole smirked.

"On some base level I almost pity you, pal…" she said. "Almost, that is…"

Amazoness Acrobat and Amazoness Fighter dissolved into eight glowing stars.

"A Synchro Summon?" asked Belger.

Nichole chanted.

"_Spiritual leader who can commune with the spirits of your deceased sisters… Come to raise the restless spirits to join you in battle!"_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Amazoness Totemist!"_

With the sound of tribal drums once again, the Amazoness shaman dressed in a black bikini wearing ceremonial makeup landed on the field, holding her decorated bone spear. (2,400 ATK) – (2,600 ATK)

"Now, when Totemist is summoned," continued Nichole, "I can Special Summon an Amazon from my Graveyard…

"Not gonna do that, however… I need room to Normal Summon Amazoness Sage."

She played the card, and Sage leapt onto the field, spinning her quarterstaff. (1,400 ATK) – (1,600 ATK)

"Your next turn isn't gonna come, unfortunately," said Nichole. "Sage, attack his Hell Debt Collector!"

Sage leapt at Toichi, swinging her staff. Toichi frowned, and held up his restraining order. Sage backed down, but smirked at him.

"Forget?" asked Belger. "Toichi can't be destroyed in battle so long as you have Loan Tokens."

"But because Sage attacked, her effect lets me destroy one Spell or Trap Card," replied Nichole. "Such as Escape from the Dark Dimension."

Belger turned white as the Trap Card shattered.

"When zat goes…" he gasped.

"Toichi goes with it…" said Nichole.

The dark portal reappeared, and the Hell Debt Collector was sucked through it.

"And with him gone," said Nichole, "you're wide open!"

Amazoness Totemist charged, and jabbed her spear into the harvester devil's chest. He let out an unholy scream…

**(N: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 0)**

Belger's sunglasses fell to the ground, and the glass broke. He glared at Nichole.

A dark mist similar to the one that had grabbed Philippe started to rise around him. But Belger simply scowled.

"You think you can send me vere you send all zee other losers, Ravel?" he snarled.

He waved his hand, and the mist evaporated.

"I found a loophole to zat rule vile you vere in jail…"

"Boy, you are in trouble when Ravel finds you," said Nichole. "I doubt you'll find a loophole to getting a lightning bolt in the gut."

"I don't care!" he shouted. "Und I don't care if Ravel vants you alive anymore!"

He held out his hands, and they turned into burning claws.

"I'll just find work somewhere else!"

He made a rush for Nichole…

But when he reached her, he let out a scream even louder than the last one.

He fell to the floor. Nichole's hands and chest were covered with his foul blood, and a dagger was impaled thought his chest.

She took a minute to catch her breath. She looked at his body. It wasn't an ordinary dagger, of course. She had gotten it from St. Cuthbert's House… It was the same enchanted dagger she had used to defeat a cornugon devil last year. She hadn't been bluffing when she said she was able to fight him. Still, getting into fights with devils is something to avoid if there's another way… He had offered her another way, so she saved it until he changed his mind.

Indeed, now she was shaken. She had been ready to draw that dagger from her boot for a while, and his attack was hardly a surprise… But anyone would be shaken if a creature from Hell had just tried to kill you...

As you might imagine, she nearly screamed when she heard someone call her name from the door. She drew her sword and spun around.

"DUGAN?" she gasped.

"Nichole!" shouted Dugan. "Thank goodness you're alright, this place is crawling with monsters…"

Nichole looked at Belger's body.

"I know…" she said. "I had to deal with Ravel's whole legal team…"

"Huh?" asked Dugan.

"We have to find Karl," said Nichole. "Just give me a minute for my heart to resume beating and I'll tell you on the way…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUAL GATE**** (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A man in a dense fog between two large, rectangular portals.

**Card Description: **Remove this card and 1 "Dual Gate" in your Graveyard from play. Draw 2 cards.

_Note: "Dual Gate" was first used by Jonah (possessed by Yubel) in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Ultimate Face-Off (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DESPISED TREATY**** (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A demon presenting a document to a king who is being threatened with swords.

**Card Description: **Activate only during your opponent's turn. Your opponent may Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Monster from his or her deck. If he does so, you draw 2 cards. If he does not, you take 1,000 points of damage during the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Despised Treaty" was first used by Inukai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "No Pain, No Game". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HELL TRADER**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **When your opponent has more Life Points than you do, you can Special Summon this card from your hand in Attack Position. When this card is destroyed by battle, Special Summon 1 "Loan Token" (Rock-Type/LIGHT/Level 1/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your opponent's side of the field in Defense Position. This Token cannot be Tributed. The controller of a "Loan Token" may discard 1 card from his hand to destroy 1 "Loan Token" he controls.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TOICHI, HELL DEBT COLLECTOR**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 1,300

**Card Description: **You can only control 1 "Toichi, Hell Debt Collector". This card cannot be destroyed by battle so long as your opponent controls 1 or more "Loan Tokens". Once per turn, you may inflict 1,000 points of damage to your opponent for each "Loan Token" they control.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ENDLESS LOAN (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **A Loan Token buried under huge weights, each marked "1,000 P".

**Card Description: **Each time your opponent Normal Summons or Special Summons a Monster, Special Summon 1 "Loan Token" (Rock-Type/LIGHT/Level 1/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your opponent's side of the field in Defense Position. This Token cannot be Tributed. The controller of a "Loan Token" may discard 1 card from his hand to destroy 1 "Loan Token" he controls.

_Note: "Hell Trader", Toichi, Hell Debt Collector", and "Endless Loan" were first used by Garome in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "A Duel with Interest". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**XANDER, HELL LAW CLERK**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **_Fiend-Type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

When this card is attacked by a Level 4 or lower Monster, it is not destroyed. At the end of your opponent's Battle Phase in which this card battled, Special Summon 1 "Loan Token" (Rock-Type/LIGHT/Level 1/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your opponent's side of the field for each time you took Battle Damage from a battle involving this card. These Tokens cannot be Tributed. The controller of a "Loan Token" may discard 1 card from his hand to destroy 1 "Loan Token" he controls. When this card destroys a "Loan Token" as a result of battle, reduce Battle Damage to zero and inflict 1,000 points of damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**UNDERWORLD CYCLONE**** (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **Dark Ruler Ha Des in the middle of a storm; several Spell and Trap Cards, including "Fairy Box", "Backfire", "Level Limit Area B", and "Molten Destruction" are being swept up in the storm.

**Card Description: **Remove 1 Fiend-Type Monster in your Graveyard from play. Remove 1 face-up Spell or Trap Card on the field from play.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Karl: I'm up against Rolento, the last of Ravel's three henchmen, and as it appears, her deadliest. Belger may have played a Burn Deck, but it's nothing compared to this guy's deadly strategy, where every card I play causes agony.**_

_**If I hope to win, I must summon the deadliest creature my deck can produce… I'm usually reluctant to bring him out, but not this time…**_

"_**Deck of Pain; The Pulse Awakens" is coming soon…**_

_**It's time for the true ruler of the Ice Barrier to show his face…**_


	24. Deck of Pain, The Pulse Awakens

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**DUEL TWENTY-FOUR**

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**Deck of Pain**

**The Pulse Awakens**

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Ben grimaced as he walked up the fourth flight of stairs.

"Would it have killed Ravel to have put an elevator in this place?" he muttered.

He looked around. He was in a large room, facing another set of stairs. But these were different. They were made of black marble, and had odd crystals set into the handrails.

A distant memory reached his mind… He remembered a time long in the past when he had ascended this stairway before…

"Ravel is waiting up there…" he said slowly. "Up there is where she waited, willing to accept all challengers… Where you had to go to confront her…

"And if I want to find out anything, I'm going to have to confront her again…"

He started to climb the staircase…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Karl was having a great deal more luck avoiding the hordlings. He had killed three or four of them, but Sal's ability to warn him ahead of time let him stay one step ahead of the mobs roaming the castle as he wandered its large halls.

"Man, this place is like the Addams Family's mansion," he muttered. "Only without the humor…

"Sal, you still there?"

"_I'm still here, Karl,"_ said the AI. _"But like I said before, my capacities are limited to my own hard drive. I don't think that there are any networks that I can log onto around here."_

"That will have to do for now," said Karl. "I think we can…"

Then his train of thought was interrupted by music coming from the other room.

"Is that a piano?" asked Karl. "Do you think it's Ben?"

"_Actually, it's a harpsichord,"_ replied Sal. _"And I doubt Ben would be stupid enough to take time to play our… 'host's' instruments while we were in this place."_

"Good point," said Karl. "But I don't think it's a hordling either…"

He cautiously walked into the large ballroom and saw that it was indeed a harpsichord – a very expensive one, from the look of it, in the style of the Seventeenth Century. The tuxedoed man was playing it, not seeming to notice Karl at first.

Then he spoke.

"A shame, really…" he said. "No-one ever plays the harpsichord anymore… The piano completely supplanted it…"

He stopped playing and turned around.

"Buenos dias, Mr. Hudson," he said. "Rolento Vega at your service…"

"I expected Ravel's hired goons to be less… Sophisticated," said Karl.

"Well, why don't you have your little friend search her hard drive?" asked Rolento. "I believe my name is in the Shadowchaser records under outstanding warrants…"

"_One minute Karl…"_ said Sal.

There was a pause.

"_Yes, there is an outstanding warrant for a Rolento Vega," _she said. _"Apparently, he was the only Deathpriest of Orcus belonging to their temple in Rio de Janeiro who escaped capture when the Shadowchasers raided it ten years ago."_

"Deathpriest of Orcus…" said Karl.

He looked at Rolento.

"They're never human…" he said. "Only true ghouls are accepted into that group."

Rolento smirked.

"I know, I know…" he said with a chuckle. "You've heard all the stories about us…"

He plucked a black rose from a vase on the side of the harpsichord, and stood up.

"How we assimilate ourselves into society… Posing as harmless clerks, laborers, wireless network repairmen, ice cream men…

"And then how at night we gather in our secret temples, and plot goals too terrible to contemplate, like releasing plagues of undead or summoning Orcus to the mortal world…

"Well, like most stories, some of that is true, but a lot of it is grossly exaggerated…"

"What parts are true?" asked Karl, nervously.

"Well, the part about us assimilating ourselves into the community is true," replied Rolento, "and we tend to be more secretive about it than most other Shadowkind…

"But I personally never had any grandiose goals for forming armies of zombies or demons. Truth be told, I never cared much for Orcus. My allegiance to him was a temporary arrangement, something to do while Ravel was locked up."

"Yeah…" said Karl. "Something you could do while you were waiting for her to resume her old business… Human trafficking."

Rolento frowned.

"Just looking at you, I can tell how you operated," said Karl. "You were like some Don Juan, finding young girls who were emotionally vulnerable and easy to manipulate, getting them to trust you with your charms and your good looks, and then leading them into Ravel's clutches…"

"You're very smart, Mr. Hudson," he said. "Maybe too smart for your own good."

He crushed the rose in his hand.

"I will say one thing… I was a great deal smarter than Don Juan…

"He met his doom when he trusted someone he shouldn't have… Really stupid of him, seeing as he spent his whole life deceiving people…

"I learned early on never to trust _anyone, _period. It's safer that way…"

He slipped his sinister-looking Duel Disk on his arm.

"Anyway…" he said. "I can be civilized to a certain degree… Unlike common ghouls, we aren't the type who dig up graves and chew on raw flesh…"

Karl was a little suspicious about that. It was true that true ghouls had never been caught robbing graves, but they were known to be carnivorous, and there were rumors that they did indeed dine on human flesh from time to time. Some people thought that they simply did it when there were no witnesses.

"So a duel then?" asked Karl.

"I believe that's how you Shadowchasers handle things," replied Rolento. "I should warn you, I'm a much better duelist than Ravel's other two henchmen.

"Of course, should you back down…"

"_Uh, Karl…" _said Sal.

Karl turned slowly around. There were shadows in the entrance to the room behind him, and he heard low growls and snarls.

_Hordlings… _he thought. _Likely there to back him up if a physical fight between the two of us breaks out… I'd best duel him and hope for the best…_

"All right, you're on," he said.

His Duel Disk activated.

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Rolento: 8,000)**

"The first move is yours…" said Rolento.

Karl made a draw. He looked at the Trap Card.

_Not bad… _he thought.

"I'll set this card," he said, "and summon Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier."

The set card appeared in his Spell Zone, and Dance Princess pranced onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"I'll end there…"

Rolento drew a card, and quickly set one on his Disk. A set Monster appeared in front of him.

He looked at Karl, and nodded.

_Certainly made his decision fast, _thought Karl, as he drew a card. _Doesn't fool around…_

"I summon Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

There was a burst of ice crystals, and the veiled Spellcaster garbed in blue, holding his staff topped with a snowflake design appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"All right, Shock Troop, let's see what that Monster is…"

Shock Troop pointed his staff at the card, and it glowed. An ugly, gaunt creature covered with a bony exoskeleton holding a sword was kneeling on the card. Shock Troop fired a blast of frost, and it was blown to pieces.

"Goblin Zombie?" asked Karl.

"Uh huh," replied Rolento. "And I'm sure you know that when it's defeated by battle, I get to take a Zombie with 1,200 or less Defense Points from my deck."

He quickly took a card from his deck, and smirked.

"You seem happy for someone who's about to get trounced," said Karl. "Dance Princess, let him have it!"

Dance Princess did a pirouette, and then kicked Rolento hard in the chest. The true ghoul grunted and fell down.

**(K: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,300)**

"Not bad…" he said, as he got up. "But don't celebrate yet…"

"It's your move…" said Karl.

Rolento made a draw. He smirked again.

"I play the Soul Taker Spell Card," he said, as he played a card. "You gain 1,000 Life Points, but I get to destroy one Monster."

A beam of energy shot from the card, blowing Dance Princess to shards.

"HEY!" shouted Karl.

"Next…" continued Rolento, "I play Cost Down…"

He played another Spell Card, and then discarded a card.

"By doing that," he said, holding up a card, "this Level 5 Zombie is downgraded to Level 3, letting me summon it without a sacrifice."

_Level 5? _thought Karl. _It can only mean one of two things… Vampire Lord or Patrician of Darkness._

_But… Neither of those two Monsters can be searched for with Goblin Zombie…_

Then a Monster appeared in front of Rolento, and it was certainly a surprise to Karl. It was neither Vampire Lord nor Patrician of Darkness. It looked like a small ghost-girl wearing a blue dress, gloves, and a long, pointed cap. (1,200 ATK)

"Wha?" said Karl. "That… That's Level 5? Heck, it's almost cute!"

"Hollow Spirit is more dangerous than you might imagine, Mr. Hudson," said Rolento.

Then the small spook's eyes glowed red, and its mouth opened, revealing small, razor-sharp teeth.

"Wait a minute…" said Karl.

"You see…" explained Rolento, "once per turn, if there's at least one Zombie in my Graveyard, like Goblin Zombie is now, it can inflict 800 points of damage."

Then Karl gasped and held his chest. It was almost as if something had grabbed hold of his heart, and was squeezing.

Hollow Spirit's expression turned back to normal, and the phantom grip released him, but Karl fell on one knee.

"Some sort of Shadow Duel…" he muttered.

"I end my turn…" said Rolento.

**(K: 8,200) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,300)**

"Nice move…" said Karl, as he made a draw. "You've left that spook completely defenseless.

"Shock Troop, destroy it!"

Shock Troop aimed his staff…

But before he could fire, a barrier of darkness rose between him and Hollow Spirit, blocking his spell.

"What?" asked Karl.

Rolento smirked again.

"When I played Cost Down," he replied, "I discarded a special Spell Card called Mirror Prison. So long as it's in my Graveyard, most opposing Monsters can't attack unless you first sacrifice a Monster of the same Type."

"That's… Not good…" said Karl.

He took a card from his hand, and set it on his Disk. A set Monster appeared next to Shock Troop.

"I'll end my turn there…"

_I still have my Trap Card in case he decides to attack Shock Troop, _he thought.

Rolento made a draw.

"I think I'll use my Spirit's effect again," he said.

Karl clutched his chest and started to sweat as the phantom assailant grabbed his heart again. He fell on one knee for a second time.

"Okay, so it's not so cute after all," groaned Karl.

"Then my Spirit will attack your hidden Monster," continued Rolento. "Scream of the banshee!"

Hollow Spirit let out a frightful wail. Blizzed, Defender of the Ice Barrier appeared on the card, and was blown to bits.

"You… activated its… effect," said Karl. "I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

He looked at his hand. His five cards consisted of General Gantala of the Ice Barrier, Shrink, Geomancer of the Ice Barrier, Aqua Spirit, and Geisha of the Ice Barrier.

_Geomancer and Shock Troop are both Spellcasters, _he thought. _If I summoned Geomancer, I could sacrifice her and get rid of that Spirit…_

_But I hate to get rid of a Tuner so early…_

_I could summon Brionac, and get rid of the Sprit… It would take him a couple of turns to summon it again… But that wouldn't bring me any closer to getting past Mirror Prison…_

"It's your move, Mr. Hudson," said Rolento.

**(K: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,300)**

Karl made a draw.

"Hmm…" he thought.

"_Karl, wait!" _said Sal. _"I found Mirror Prison in my files."_

"And?" asked Karl.

"_I found out what he means by 'most Monsters'," _said Sal. _"Apparently, Machines and Zombies are immune to its effect._

"_Apparently, the idea was for the Mirror only to repel living creatures."_

Karl chuckled.

"How did I ever get along without you?" he asked.

He looked at Rolento.

"I remove Blizzed from play to Special Summon Aqua Spirit!" he exclaimed.

A column of water shot up on his side of the field, and the watery sylph in a dress appeared next to Shock Troop. (1,600 ATK)

"Next, I sacrifice Shock Troop and destroy one Water Monster in order to take one Monster with the words 'Ice Barrier' in its name from my deck."

Shock Troop dissolved into grains of light, and Aqua Spirit shattered into pixels. Karl took a card from his deck.

"Now, I'll summon him… A guy who can get past your Mirror Prison… Sacred Spirit of the Ice Barrier!"

The cold wind blew through the ballroom, and the phantom of the bearded man dressed like a priest materialized. (1,600 ATK)

"Nice…" said Rolento, with a frown. "Seems my Spirit truly is defenseless now…"

"You got that right," said Karl. "Sacred Spirit, attack! Divine wind!"

A chilling wind blew through the room, honing in on Hollow Spirit. The ghost-girl shrieked, and then shattered into bits.

"You took the bait just like I planned!" said Rolento with a smile. "You can't destroy ghosts, Mr. Hudson, and trying to do so only makes it worse.

"When Hollow Spirit is destroyed, I get to summon its other form…"

A shadowy shape rose in front of Rolento.

"Meet Hollow Ghost!"

The Zombie that appeared where Hollow Spirit had been was little more than a dark fog in a vague humanoid form, with a menacing face, and long, arms with grasping hands. Its eyes glowed with a cold, sinister light. (2,600 ATK)

Karl sighed.

"I think I would have been better off with the Spirit…" he muttered.

He looked at his hand and then at the facedown card he had on the field.

"I end my turn…" he said. "And since Sacred Spirit is a Spirit Monster, he goes back to my hand."

Sacred Spirit vanished.

**(K: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 5,900)**

"I draw," said Rolento, making a draw.

"And now my Hollow Ghost attacks you directly!"

Hollow Ghost made a howl, and lunged at Karl…

"I activate… Magic Cylinder!" shouted Karl, as his facedown card shot upwards.

Hollow Ghost was propelled backwards, and Rolento was knocked down by the backlash.

But then an eerie pain ripped through Karl's system. It felt like something was clawing at his intestines with sharp nails. He looked up, and Hollow Ghost was looking at him with an evil smile.

"You may have wounded me," said Rolento, as the true ghoul got up, "but with Hollow Ghost on the field, every Trap Card triggered, every Spell Card played, and every Monster defeated, sacrificed, or otherwise done away with will slowly lead to your doom.

"Hollow Ghost will punish you each time one or more cards are sent to either Graveyard, doing 600 points of damage each time. Since your Magic Cylinder was sent to the Graveyard after being activated, you got a small taste of its power."

"That's… bad…" said Karl.

"I'll set two cards facedown, and end my turn," said Rolento, as two set cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

**(K: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,300)**

Karl made a draw.

_What am I worried about? _he thought. _By using Shrink on that thing, my Sacred Spirit will be better than the Ghostbusters…_

"I activate… Shrink!" he said, as he played a card.

Hollow Ghost groaned, and shrank to half its size. (1,300 ATK) But it glared at Karl, and he clutched his chest in pain.

He stopped to catch his breath.

"Now I summon my Sacred Spirit again…" he said.

The phantom priest appeared in front of him once again. (1,600 ATK)

"…which, as you recall, can get past your Mirror Prison.

"Attack his Hollow Ghost!"

The divine wind started to blow again…

"I activate… Sakuretsu Armor!" shouted Rolento, as one of his facedown cards shot up.

Sacred Spirit shattered into blue shards, and Karl clutched his chest in pain as Hollow Ghost's eyes glowed.

"Your Monster was destroyed, and my Trap was sent to the Graveyard," said Rolento, "so Hollow Ghost got to use its effect twice."

"No kidding…" gasped Karl.

"I'm going to guess that, like most Spirits, your Sacred Spirit can't be Special Summoned, meaning it's going to be hard for you to use it again," said Rolento. "I'm also going to guess that it was the only Monster in your deck capable of bypassing my Mirror Prison."

"Maybe, maybe not!" said Karl.

_The truth is, he's right on both counts, _he thought. _But I'm not telling him that…_

"Well, while you're thinking about that," said Rolento, "I'll activate my other Trap Card…"

His other facedown card lifted up.

"Mask of Restrict. Now neither player can sacrifice Monsters. That means my Mirror Prison is nearly impenetrable."

"It's still my turn!" shouted Karl.

He played another card.

"I play Double Summon!" he said, playing a Spell Card.

He groaned again, as Hollow Spirit's eyes burned.

"Then I'll summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier…" he said.

The young girl in the large collie hat appeared in front of him. (800 ATK)

"Then, by discarding one card and naming an Attribute, I can keep Monsters with that Attribute from attacking her.

"So, I'll discard this…"

He discarded Geisha of the Ice Barrier.

"…and name Dark."

"You're only hurting yourself," said Rolento with a grin, as Hollow Ghost cast its terrible glance on Karl for the fifth time this round.

Karl took some deep breaths.

"I set one card," he said, as a facedown card appeared behind Geisha, "and end my turn…"

Hollow Ghost resumed its regular size. (2,600 ATK)

**(K: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,300)**

Rolento made a draw. He grinned when he saw the Level 7 Monster on the card.

_This gal will be useful… _he thought. _But to summon her, I have to wait for him to Special Summon a Monster…_

"Think that will do it for this turn…" he said.

"Then it's my move!" said Karl.

He made a draw.

_I could summon Gungnir… _he thought, looking at his hand. _He could get rid of that Ghost…_

_But he still wouldn't be able to attack…_

_Hmm… If I can hold out for one more round, there might be another way…_

"Geomancer moves to Defense Mode," he said.

Geomancer knelt, and crossed her arms over her chest. (1,200 DEF)

"Then I'll set a Monster…"

A hidden Monster appeared.

"…and end my turn."

Rolento made a draw. He looked at it.

"Mmm," he said. "Hollow Ghost, attack his hidden Monster. Phantom grasp!"

Hollow Ghost made a rush at the card. Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier appeared kneeling on it. (1,000 DEF) The monk swatted the specter away, and it backed off.

"Huh?" asked Rolento.

"Pilgrim can't be destroyed by Monsters with 1,900 Attack Points or more," said Karl. "Hollow Ghost is simply too powerful."

"Seems you've put up a barrier of your own," said Rolento. "No matter… I'm a patient man, and you can't defeat me simply by defending… It's your move…"

_Oh, don't worry… _thought Karl, as he made a draw. _The defending ends now!_

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed.

His facedown card lifted up, and Geisha of the Ice Barrier appeared in a chilling mist. (1,500 ATK)

"I was hoping you'd do that!" replied Rolento. "Because you Special Summoned a Monster, I can discard one card from my hand…"

He discarded a card, and Hollow Ghost glared at Karl with its glowing eyes again. This time Karl screamed. He had not been expecting it at that moment.

"Anyway…" continued Rolento. "That was the cost I needed to make to Special Summon the dreaded Chaos Hunter."

A dark portal opened, and a sinister female creature leapt out. She was dressed in a leather suit and a mask, had long, platinum blonde hair, and carried a barbed whip. (2,500 ATK)

"Not the type of woman I'd want to get to know…" said Karl, nervously.

"Chaos Hunter, as her name suggests, hunts down and slays all creatures that depend on Chaos for power," said Rolento. "And by her mere presence, she prevents the powers of Chaos from working… For you, at least.

"In game terms, you cannot remove any cards from play while she's around."

"Fine…" said Karl. "I can defeat your Hollow Ghost without removing any cards from play…

"First, I use Geisha's effect. By revealing one Ice Barrier Monster in my hand while I have at least one other one on the field…"

He turned General Gantala's card forward.

"…I can return one of your Spell or Trap Cards to set position, and prevent you from activating it this turn."

Geisha opened her fans, and bowed. The Mask of Restrict was returned to set position.

"Now that it's out of commission for this round," continued Karl. "I can sacrifice Geomancer and Pilgrim…"

The two residents of the Ice Barrier turned into glowing blue orbs.

"…to summon General Gantala of the Ice Barrier!"

There was a flash, and the bald, bare-chested, muscular General appeared. (2,700 ATK)

Karl clutched his chest in pain again. Then he glanced at his Life Point counter.

"I was taking a chance there…" he said. "I figured that if more than one card was sent to the Graveyard at the same time, Hollow Ghost's effect would only activate once."

"You were right," said Rolento with a frown. "Congratulations."

"Next," continued Karl, "because Gantala and Geisha are both Warriors, I can sacrifice Geisha to nullify your Mirror Prison!"

Geisha vanished, and Gantala took a fighting stance. Karl sweat as Hollow Ghost stared at him without blinking.

"It… It cost me some Life Points…" he muttered. "But now my General can blast that Hollow Ghost back to where it came from!"

General Gantala leapt at Hollow Ghost, and with a mighty karate chop, blasted it into formless globules of ectoplasm.

"There!" shouted Karl. "And I'm not done! Next, I play… Pot of Avarice

He played a Spell Card, and the familiar goofy jar appeared. He took Aqua Spirit, Sacred Spirit, Shock Troops, Dance Princess, and Pilgrim from his discard slot. He shuffled his deck, and made two draws.

"Next, Supremacy Berry!" he exclaimed, as he played a Spell Card. "Because my Life Points are lower than yours, I gain 2,000 Life Points."

He closed his eyes as a golden aura surrounded him.

He carefully set one card, and it appeared facedown.

"I'm done…" he said.

**(K: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,200)**

Rolento didn't answer.

"Hello?" said Karl. "It's your move…"

Rolento chuckled.

"I see you Shadowchasers are as crafty as you were ten years ago…" he said. "Some things never change…"

He looked up, and opened his mouth wide, revealing nasty fangs.

"Ho boy…" said Karl, nervously.

"I hate to show my bad side…" said Rolento with a scowl. "Usually I'm quite a gentleman… But since you seem to be a tough case, it seems I simply must!"

He laughed an evil laugh as he made a draw.

"I play Foolish Burial!" he laughed, as he played a Spell Card.

"I'll take this card from my deck, and send it to my Graveyard…"

He discarded a card.

"The card I just discarded was my Mezuki…"

"And now you're going to remove it from play to summon the Hollow Spirit?" asked Karl.

"Don't be silly," said Rolento, with a grin.

With a cackling laugh, Hollow Ghost reappeared on the field. (2,600 ATK)

"I thought it could only be summoned with Hollow Spirit's effect!" shouted Karl.

"Only the first time," chuckled Rolento. "Now then… since your General is still a problem, I play Nightmare's Steelcage!"

A circle of flames formed around Karl and his Monster, and a dome-like cage rose around him.

"That will hold you for two turns," said Rolento. "Next, I activate Mask of Restrict again…"

The Trap Card lifted up.

"And furthermore, from this point on, this Spell Card will be in play…"

He threw a card into his Duel Disk.

"Dark Room of Nightmare?" gasped Karl.

"That's right!" laughed Rolento. "Now my Hollow Ghost will do 900 points of damage each time it uses its effect instead of 600.

"With that, I end my turn…"

"_Karl…" _said Sal. _"This has gotten much worse… There may be only one way you can win this duel…"_

"I know…" said Karl. "I have to summon… The Big Guy…

"But with only half my Life Points left, and Hollow Ghost costing me 900 of them each time a card goes to the Graveyard, I don't know if I can. I can only survive its effect two more times."

The "Big Guy" was a name that he used to refer to the most powerful Monster in his deck. It was a rare card that was likely the most powerful resident of the Ice Barrier. He didn't use it often… It scared even him.

He drew a card.

"I move straight to my End Phase," he said, "and use Gantala's effect to Special Summon Geomancer from my Graveyard."

Geomancer appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,200 DEF)

"It's your move…"

Rolento made a draw. He looked at it.

"Nothing to do this turn," he said. "It's your move again. You'd best make it count."

Karl made another draw. He looked at the card.

"_Karl, not to state the obvious," _said Sal, _"but when this turn ends, Nightmare's Steelcage will destroy itself…"_

"Meaning it will go to the Graveyard, meaning I'll take 900 points of damage," said Karl.

He paused for a minute.

"I set another card facedown," he said, as a set card appeared, "and then move to my End Phase, and use Gantala's effect to Special Summon Geisha from my Graveyard."

Geisha appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,700 DEF)

Then the Steelcage crumbled into dust, and Karl cringed in pain again.

**(K: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,200)**

"Seems that Supremacy Berry was a big waste," chuckled Belger, as he made a draw. "All you're really doing is prolonging your agony.

"But please, prolong it as much as you like. It just invigorates me."

He played a Spell Card.

"And now my strategy is complete, with the Continuous Spell Card, Pyramid of Wonders!"

An inverted pyramid made of blue energy materialized over the field, and Hollow Ghost bathed in its energy. Its Attack Score went up to 3,200.

"It not only increases the Attack Scores of all my Zombies by 200 points for every opposing Monster, but if you activate an effect that would destroy exactly one Zombie, this card takes the fall for it.

"Beginning to see how hopeless your situation is, Mr. Hudson? You can't attack, can't destroy my Monster with effects, and can't remove any cards from play."

"There's always a way out, Rolento," said Karl. "Your boss proved that only a few hours ago."

"I suppose…" said Rolento. "I guess some would complement you for remaining an optimist…

"Hollow Ghost, attack his General!"

With an evil laugh, the specter flew at General Gantala, and seized him by the throat. Gantala gasped, and then shattered.

Karl almost passed out. The pain was getting steadily worse. But he managed to hit his Duel Disk and activate the command for one of his Trap Cards.

"Go, Option Hunter!" he cried. "Now I gain Life Points equal to Gantala's Attack Score!"

"Only to lose another 900 of them!" laughed Rolento.

Karl fell on one knee as Hollow Ghost's cruel cackle bored through his head.

"Now, Chaos Hunter attacks your Geomancer!" continued Rolento. "Strike of the Hunter!"

Chaos Hunter lashed her whip, and leapt at the defending Tuner…

…but she was halted by an invisible barrier of force. Karl had managed to activate his other Trap.

"Draining… Shield…" he said.

Then he held his gut…

But then he stood up. Somehow, the pain wasn't as bad this time…

**(K: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,200)**

"Seems you're getting tougher," said Rolento. "This duel has gone on longer than I expected it to, and you've developed a resistance to the dark magic…

"No matter… The end result will be the same."

"You still have to beat me," said Karl. "My draw…"

He drew a card.

He set both his cards on his Disk, and two hidden cards, one a Monster and one a Spell or Trap, appeared.

"Your move…" he said.

Rolento made a draw. It was his second copy of Hollow Ghost, not something he could use at this point.

Then Karl's facedown card lifted up.

"I play Threatening Roar!" he shouted. "Seems you can't attack this round either."

Then he closed his eyes as the pain struck him, but like Rolento said, it wasn't quite as bad.

"So I can't," said Rolento. "No matter… Like I said before, I'm a patent man… You must be running low on Traps by now, and each one you trigger brings you closer to defeat.

"I choose to pass this turn… It's your move."

**(K: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,200)**

Karl paused. He looked at the three Monsters he had on the field, Geomancer, Geisha, and his set Monster. Then he looked at Rolento's set-up: Hollow Ghost and Chaos Hunter in front, with Mask of Restrict, Dark Room of Nightmare, and Pyramid of Wonders supporting them.

_I might be able to turn this around, _he thought. _But to do so, I need to draw an Ice Barrier Monster right now._

He made a draw. It was Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier.

_Not the best one, _he thought, _but it will do. _

"First, I use Geisha's effect," he said. "I'm sure you remember it."

He flipped Secret Guards around. Geisha stood up, and waved her fan. Dark Room of Nightmare tipped over, setting itself facedown.

"Now that I've reduced the amount of damage your Hollow Ghost can do," he continued, "I flip my Morphing Jar into Attack Mode!"

The facedown card flipped up, and Morphing Jar appeared, laughing like a maniac. (700 ATK)

Rolento frowned, and discarded the two cards in his hand. Karl discarded Secret Guards, and then held his chest and closed his eyes again.

"Lucky for you that only counts as one use of Hollow Ghost's effect," said Rolento, as he made five draws.

He looked at two of the cards.

_Well, what have we here? _he thought. _I drew Burial from a Different Dimension and Card Destruction._

_First I'll play Burial to put Mezuki back in my Graveyard. Then I'll remove it from play to summon Hollow Spirit to the field. Hollow Ghost's Attack Score will fall to zero, but it will still be able to use its Burn effect._

_Once I use the Spirit's effect, I can play Card Destruction, which will activate the Ghost's effect twice. In total, I can deal 3,500 points of damage with only two cards!_

Karl looked over his five cards.

"You seem happy, Rolento…" he said. "I am too… Because I have what I need to pull off my greatest combo, and summon the mightiest creature in my deck!"

**(K: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,200)**

"Is that a fact?" said Rolento, with a smug smirk.

"Listen here…" said Karl. "My Life Points are at 3,900. I have enough left to survive that thing's effect six more times… This is gonna be cutting it close, but I think that I can pull off this combo and still make it.

"Geomancer… Geisha... Morphing Jar… It's time to do it… The Big Guy…"

The three Monsters leapt up, and flew to the ceiling of the big hall. A chill blew through the whole place as they dissolved into stars. Karl chanted…

"_The chilling power of the frozen North will reverberate through these creatures, and bring forth the true ruler of the Ice Barrier!_

"_The Pulse of the arctic lands awakens…"_

**(*3 + *2 + *4 = *9)**

"_Synchro Summon… Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

There was a bellowing roar, and a Dragon that was bigger than Brionac, bigger than Gungnir, bigger than _any _resident of the Ice Barrier, flew into view, dominating Karl's field. His scales were as white as the arctic plain, his torso covered with hard armor, and his head protected with hard plates. His two front arms also ended in smaller heads. His large wings were crystalline and sharp as swords, and it radiated pure cold. (2,700 ATK)

Karl grunted in pain as Hollow Ghost burned him again.

"Big deal!" said Rolento. "You may have summoned your ace, but even if it could attack, my Pyramid makes Hollow Ghost 100 points stronger."

"Trishula here has a powerful effect," said Karl. "You see…"

"Yes, yes, I know what he can do!" cursed Rolento. "When you summon him, he removes three cards from play, one from the field, one from my hand, and one from my Graveyard.

"Well, my Chaos Hunter prevents him from doing that, so too bad!"

"That wasn't my plan…" said Karl.

He played a Spell Card.

"Creature Swap?" gasped Rolento. "Are you out of your mind?"

Karl held his chest again. But he managed to grin through his pain.

**(K: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,200)**

"Nope…" said Karl. "I'm giving you Trishula in exchange for one of your Monsters. So which is it gonna be?"

Rolento looked at Karl nervously.

_The pain must have made him delirious, _thought the true ghoul. _He must want Hollow Ghost so he can attack and get by my Mirror Prison. _

_What he doesn't know is, Hollow Ghost's Attack Score will become zero if it's on his side of the field. There's no Hollow Spirit in his Graveyard. If I choose Hollow Ghost, I'll stop his plan cold. _

_So to speak…_

"I choose…" he started.

Then he stopped short.

"Yes…?" said Karl.

Rolento looked at Trishula.

_Maybe that's just what he wants, _thought Rolento. _Maybe that computer of his already told him of Hollow Ghost's weakness…_

_He wants to use Hollow Ghost's Burn effect, that's what he wants to do! And he's probably got some nasty Trap that will make me regret it if I even _try _to attack when it's my turn. I have to keep my Ghost!_

"I choose my Chaos Hunter!" he exclaimed.

Karl grinned. Trishula and Chaos Hunter vanished, and then reappeared on opposite sides of the field.

"Seems that you truly trust no-one," said Karl. "You don't even trust your first instinct. That is gonna cost you…"

He played another Spell Card.

"I play De-Synchro!"

"HUH?" said Rolento. "De-Synchro?"

"It costs me another 600 Life Points due to your Hollow Ghost," said Karl, "but Trishula is sent back to my Extra Deck…"

The Dragon of the Ice Barrier vanished.

"…and then, because the three Monsters I Tuned to summon him are in my Graveyard, they return to my side of the field."

First Geomancer appeared. (800 ATK) Then Geisha materialized (1,500 ATK), and finally, Morphing Jar. (700 ATK)

"But that means…" said Rolento, with a gulp.

The three Monsters turned into nine stars again.

"That's right, pal," said Rolento. "It means I can Synchro Summon Trishula a second time!"

With an even louder roar, Trishula appeared next to Chaos Hunter, who was just as scared as Rolento was. (2,700 ATK)

Hollow Ghost's eyes glowed as its effect hit Karl again, but Karl barely noticed.

"And that will be the last time," he said, "because now that Chaos Hunter is on my side of the field, Trishula can use his effect, and remove three cards from play.

"One from the field…"

Hollow Ghost vanished into nothing.

"…one from the Graveyard…"

Rolento gasped as Mirror Prison fell out of his discard slot.

"…and one from your hand. But that one, I have to choose at random."

Rolento looked at his hand as one of his five cards vanished. Ironically, it was Card Destruction.

"I've been waiting for this all day!" shouted Karl. "Chaos Hunter, you first… Attack directly!"

Chaos Hunter looked at Rolento, and made an angry scowl. She leapt at him, and slashed with her whip. The true ghoul shrieked in pain.

"Now to finish this!" shouted Karl. "Trishula, attack directly with Freezing Pulse of the Ice Barrier!"

Trishula's six eyes glowed, and then three beams of concentrated cold shot from his three mouths, spiraling together into one larger beam. Rolento screamed in agony.

**(K: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 0)**

Karl collapsed, his energy quite spent. Fortunately, Rolento was in no condition to attack him. Karl watched as the dark fog that had grabbed Philippe rose around Rolento, and dragged the screaming true ghoul away.

Karl took some deep breaths…

Then he realized something.

_Those hordlings! _he thought. _If they come in here, I'll be a sitting duck! I have to…_

Then he heard a familiar sound.

_Dugan's blunderbuss? _he thought.

"I'm in here!" he shouted.

A hordling was propelled through the doorway. Then Dugan and Nichole stepped through, their clothes stained with slime.

"There's just no end to them, it seems," said Dugan.

"We've got to find Ben and arrest Ravel ASA-quick!" said Nichole. "Before any more nightmares find us."

Karl looked at Sal.

"Sal…" he said slowly. "You think you can scan the area for the largest source of magic? Ravel is likely there."

"_I think I can…" _said Sal. _"Just give me a…"_

She stopped short. Then she stopped altogether.

"Sal?" said Karl. "Sal?"

"_Sorry, Karl, I needed to do a quick reboot," _said Sal. _"I found the largest source of magic, and it almost overloaded my system._

"_Ravel has something incredibly powerful in this castle… Possibly an artifact, and likely a dangerous one._

"_Trying to actually scan for it again would likely cause me to crash, but I think I can point you all in the direction where I detected it the first time."_

"By all means," said Karl. "The sooner we get out of this place, the better…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sitting on her throne, Ravel sighed while leaning on her hand and watching the three Shadowchasers through her scrying globe.

"So hard to find good help these days…" she said.

She switched the image in the globe, and watched Ben climbing the marble stairs.

She smiled.

"He's coming…" she said.

She looked at the prison uniform she was wearing, which hadn't been washed in quite a while.

"Maybe I should make myself more presentable before he gets here…" she mused.

"After all… I've been waiting for this all my life…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, back in Chicago, Taka Kyodai was speaking to someone over a video phone.

"You see, Mr. Fanciullo," he said, nervously, "I stand to gain a lot by making this deal with this… person… I just need some help doing it. He's looking for information for... Someone, but all my leads have gone cold."

The person he was speaking to looked like nothing more than a child, a child wearing a white tuxedo. However, Cattivo Fanciullo was no child, nor was he harmless. He was most likely the biggest mob boss in Europe as far as Shadowkind were concerned, and all crime bosses in the western world respected him.

No-one knew just what sort of Shadowkind he was under the disguise of a ten-year-old that he wore, but the disguise was his greatest weapon.

Fanciullo looked at Taka and thought for a minute. It was almost as if he could read the Kenku's mind.

"Very well…" he said. "I know a place in Chicago where some vital information might be stored that this... someone can use.

"Just be careful…"

"I will," said Taka.

"I hope so..." said Fanciullo. "After all, the deal I made with the House of the Howling Gale to get them to agree to leave you alone didn't come cheap..."

Some words appeared on the screen. Taka picked up a pen and paper and wrote them down.

As he did so, Ernie – Taka's bodyguard with the ulcer problem – groaned and clutched his stomach.

"Ernie!" said another bodyguard. "Go get a glass of milk!"

"Think I'll do that…" said Ernie.

He walked out of the room. But as he did so, the painful look disappeared from his face.

When he was in the kitchen four rooms away, he went to a certain spot in the room. Taka had security cameras in every room of his penthouse, but Ernie knew that this spot was a blind spot that the cameras did not cover. Once there, he took out a cell phone, and started to send a text message.

Once he was done, after a minute and a half, he hit Send, then quickly deleted it from his Sent Messages. Then he got the glass of milk he came to get.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HOLLOW SPIRIT**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **Once per turn, during your turn, if there is at least 1 Zombie-Type Monster in your Graveyard, inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 "Hollow Ghost" from your hand, deck, or Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HOLLOW GHOST**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Hollow Spirit". Whenever a card(s) is sent to the Graveyard, inflict 600 points of damage to your opponent. If there is no "Hollow Spirit" in your Graveyard, the ATK of this card becomes zero.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MIRROR PRISON (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A mirror hanging from a chain in an ominous, rocky area. A Giant Rat is inside the mirror, and two Lamb Tokens are to either side.

**Card Description: **When this card is in your Graveyard, Monsters controlled by your opponent except Zombie and Machine-Type Monsters cannot declare an attack unless your opponent Tributes a Monster of the same Type.

_Note: "Hollow Spirit", "Hollow Ghost", and "Mirror Prison" were first used by Michel in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds" episode "The Wicked Spirit". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Ben: From what I heard about Ravel Darkquill, about her cruelty and her madness, I half-expected to confront a loathsome monster intent on devouring my soul. If she intends to do that, however, she chose a strange way to go about it… She greets me with kindness and polite words, as if I was someone she dearly missed.**_

_**She's likely a liar, and her crimes are many and widespread, but I have to listen to find out more about our first meeting, so long ago. This second meeting likely won't end without a battle, and you can be certain that she will be far deadlier than her three henchmen were. **_

"_**Sinister Proposal; A Curse with a Cause" is next.**_

_**I will know the truth.**_


	25. Sinister Proposal, A Curse with a Cause

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL TWENTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Sinister Proposal**

**A Curse with a Cause**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"No hordlings," said Karl.

It was true. After walking down several hallways and going up three flights of stairs, the three Shadowchasers hadn't encountered even one more hordling.

"Maybe Ravel ran out of them," replied Dugan. "But let's not let our guard down…"

Then Karl turned, and saw that Nichole was crying.

"Nichole?" he said. "Are you okay?"

"I was…" said Nichole softly. "I was thinking about Marc…"

"Marc is gonna be fine, Nichole!" said Karl, with a reassuring tone. "The correction officers at the prison all say he's been a model inmate, and his lawyer can't think of a reason why he'd be turned down for parole."

"I know…" said Nichole, still with tears falling down her cheeks. "But sometimes I think of him, and…"

Then Dugan grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Snap out of it, Nichole!" he shouted. "Snap out of it!"

He started shaking her.

Nichole's tears vanished. She took some deep breaths.

"I'm fine!" she exclaimed.

"What?" said Karl.

Dugan looked at his watch. It was still set to Chicago time, but he had kept track of how long they had been here.

"It's only been eight hours, but it's starting," he said. "The wasting effect of the Grey Waste. That's what suddenly gave her a fit of depression…

"Okay people… If we can arrest Ravel, fine, but our primary goal now is to rescue Ben. We find him and get back to Earth before the wasting does us in…"

They looked in front of them. Before them was the same marble, crystal-inlaid stairway that Ben had walked up.

"Where do these stairs go?" asked Nichole.

Dugan peered up the staircase.

"They go up," he said. "But I think that's where we want to be."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour earlier, Ben entered Ravel's Great Hall.

She didn't seem to be there at the moment. He looked around. Right in front of him was the display case.

He walked up to it and looked inside. Sitting on a cushion, covered by the glass dome, was a small cube, seemingly made of solid gold, six inches to each side, with a ruby the side of a grape on the top.

"Better not touch that, hon," said Ravel's voice. "It's dangerous."

Ben looked up, and saw Ravel on the balcony. She had traded in her prison uniform for a Victorian-style black dress, which although drab and stuffy, was well-made. It stood in stark contrast to Ravel's ugly face.

"What is it?" asked Ben, as Ravel started to walk down the stairs.

"The Bringer of Doom," chuckled Ravel. "An artifact of great power created during the Invoked Devastation.

"If you have spellcasting ability, all you have to do is push that gem on the top like a button, and boom! It explodes, vaporizing everything in a one-thousand foot radius. Then a portal opens, summoning anywhere from five-hundred to a thousand hordlings, who pour forth to kill and devour everything in their path."

Ben's hand tensed as he backed away from the display case. He was ready to lift his mace at a second's notice.

"Interesting..." he said. "How do you even know that it works? If activating it makes it explode, it can only be used once."

"Not true," replied Ravel. "It has been used many times in the past... By warlords, tyrants, and madmen when they know that defeat is inevitable... But the Bringer of Doom always reforms at a later date, often in another reality or world, ready to bring doom once again.

"But the important thing is, hon, we have some time alone..."

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Ravel," asked Ben. "What was this terrible crime I committed?"

"I asked you the same thing, hon," replied Ravel. "You were too ashamed to tell me. At the time, I figured I didn't need to know… But later, it all came together... I knew you were special, not like the others who came to challenge me.

"Do you know why I granted your request? The question I asked you was, 'What can change the nature of a man?'

"I was impressed when you answered, not because it was the answer I was looking for, but because it was the answer that you genuinely believed to be true. I knew then that I had found something I had sought for many years... An equal."

"An equal?" asked Ben.

"That's right…" said Ravel. "You see, long ago, when I was a child... Cegilune told me that my destiny was to rule the Wastes as a queen... Become a goddess who could someday possibly challenge Hades for the title of most powerful resident of this place. But not before I found someone to rule it with me who was an equal. A consort who was just as cunning, just as clever, and just as resourceful as I was.

"That's why I accepted her offer, and agreed to accept every challenge. That's why I bothered with so many greedy, pathetic lowlifes wanting the endless riches they thought they would get from me... I needed to find someone who could actually be a challenge...

"Of all the beings who came to me, you're one of only two that I ever had to grant a wish to. The other one... I knew right away that she couldn't even remotely be considered as the one.

"But you... You impressed me so much, I knew that you were the one that Cegilune meant when she made that prophecy. But curse my sloppy magic, I had no idea your memory would fade after coming back to life! You forgot who you were... You forgot who I was! You left, and I never saw you again.

"But you stopped forgetting! Don't you see, hon? You were the only one who ever came to me who didn't sicken me. We were meant to be together... Fate has decided it."

"Hold on..." said Ben. "Ravel, this is... This is insane! You want me to join you?"

"What?" asked Ravel. "Is it because I'm ugly? No problem..."

Then she glowed with a shadowy aura. Ben blinked, and Ravel had been replaced by a stunningly beautiful woman in flowing red hair with green eyes, flawless skin and curves in a low cut evening gown.

"My magic can make me take the form of any woman you desire," she said, in a husky, seductive voice. "You never have to see my true form again if you don't want to."

Ben was stunned for a minute. He didn't do anything as Ravel caressed his chin.

"And I can change this any time I want…" she continued. "I can become any woman you wish, hon. I can be Marilyn Monroe one day and then Bettie Page the next! I can fulfill any male fantasy. I can keep you happy forever.

"I don't owe Cegilune anything anymore, but I still have the power she gave me! I can reestablish my base... and you could share it with me... All the wealth... All the power..."

Then Ben came to his senses. He gave Ravel a shove and knocked her backwards.

"All the blood on my hands!" he shouted, as her eyes turned red again. "It's not because you're ugly, Ravel… Although that is a big part of it… It's because you're a merciless human trafficker.

"You can use illusions to make yourself beautiful, but inside, you'll always be rotten to the core.

"I want my mortality back… And you're gonna give it to me…"

Ravel smirked, and then shifted back to her true form.

"If you won't accept the will of Fate, hon…" she said, "I'll have to force it on you. I really didn't want to do this, but…"

Then Ben felt like his head was on fire. He fell to his knees, clutching his temples.

"What are you doing?" he shouted.

"I already did it," said Ravel. "When I stripped you of your mortality, I added something of my own… A spell that only hags know how to cast called a Dark Cob. It's implanted in your very soul.

"Jalal likely noticed that it amplified my powers when you're around… That was just a side effect. Its true effect is to let me dominate you at any time."

"You… you were going to double cross me from the start…" groaned Ben.

"I didn't want to!" protested Ravel. "Do you think I can cast a Dark Cob every day? I had to give up some of my own power, and ten slaves had to die in order for me to cast it. Hags only cast it on slaves that they _absolutely _can't let go.

"But I wanted you bad enough that I…"

Ben struggled, and stood up.

"Ten of your victims died for you to do this?" he screamed. "You _beast_!"

As he said that, he swung his mace, clocking Ravel upside the head. The night hag was knocked down, clearly not expecting that…

But she was much tougher than a human woman. She quickly got up, and looked at Ben, who was still struggling against the foul spell.

_How?_she thought._ How is he resisting the Dark Cob? He…_

_Wait… That Duel Disk… It reeks of Law and Good… It's trying to protect him!_

_No, worse… It's trying to purge the Dark Cob from him…_

_I can't risk the possibility that it will succeed… I have to end this struggle by taking it from him…_

_And I know just how…_

Then Ben stood up. The pain had vanished.

But as he looked around, he saw that all was not well… He was in a dark void. Darkness was to every side of him, as well as above and below.

Then Ravel appeared in front of him, wearing a Duel Disk of the same style as that of her henchmen on her left arm.

"Ravel, where are we?" asked Ben. "What's going on?"

"Seems you're more resilient than I thought, hon," she replied. "I never thought you could fight the Dark Cob like that…

"I'd love to see who wins this struggle, but it could take hours before one side gives. And it could end with one of us dead. That won't do, for two reasons.

"Self-preservation on my part is the obvious first reason. The second reason, if you died from the strain, there'd be no guarantee that you'd be reborn anywhere near this castle, or even anywhere near the Grey Wastes. I'm not going to risk losing you again.

"So here's what I'm willing to offer…

"Defeat me in this Shadow Duel, and I'll remove the Dark Cob… But lose, and relinquish the Duel Disk."

Ben looked at her hard.

"Well?" asked Ravel.

"I'm thinking about it…" replied Ben.

"Ben…" said Ravel. "If you refuse it's gonna be hours and hours of this…"

Then the pain started boring through his head again. Again, he tried to resist it, and Ravel strained to maintain it…

"All right, all right!" he shouted. "I accept!"

The pain stopped. He looked at his Duel Disk…

It had taken him this far with one deck after another… He had to hope it would outdo itself this time.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ravel: 8,000)**

"You certainly don't act like a lady," said Ben, "but I have to give you the first move anyway…"

"Why thank you," said Ravel, making a draw.

"I'll set this card…" she said.

A set Monster appeared in front of her.

"…and I'll end it for now…"

_Have to be careful, _said Ben, as he made a draw. _This is one opponent I _really _don't trust…_

He looked at his opening hand. He saw the general idea this time…

"I summon Queen's Knight!" he exclaimed.

In an aura of light, a beautiful woman clad in scarlet armor, which was decorated with playing card symbols – hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades – with long, golden hair down to her waist, appeared in front of Ben. She held a longsword and a shield shaped like an inverted triangle. (1,500 ATK)

"Hmm…" said Ravel.

"Attack her Monster!" shouted Ben. "Queen's saber slash!"

Queen's Knight made a swipe with her blade, and Dark Mimic LV1 appeared on the card. It was cut cleanly in half.

"Thanks again," said Ravel, making a draw.

Ben sighed.

"I'll set this," he said, as a facedown card appeared behind Queen's Knight, "and I end my turn…"

Ravel made a draw. She carefully looked at her hand of seven cards.

"Been awhile since I've been in a Shadow Duel…" she said with a grin. "I'm a little rusty…

"But it's all coming back… I summon Fortune Lady Light to the field."

In an aura of light, a young teenager dressed in a skimpy leotard and a yellow, tattered cloak, with blonde hair cut in bangs, appeared in front of Ravel. She carried a staff with a jewel on one end, and a curved blade on the other. Most disturbing, two bat-like wings were growing out of her temples.

"A Fortune Lady?" asked Ben.

"That's right," said Ravel. "A Fortune Lady's scores depend on her current Level. Light here starts out at Level 1, and she only gains 200 points per Level…"

(200 ATK)

"…but she won't be staying long…"

She played a card, and a Spell Card appeared.

"I activate Dimensionhole!"

A pulsating wormhole appeared behind Fortune Lady Light, and she was sucked through it.

"By banishing Light from the field," said Ravel, holding up a card, "I'm able to Special Summon a stronger Fortune Lady… Like Fortune Lady Dark!"

A similar Spellcaster appeared in Light's place. She wore the same leotard, but had a purple cloak, and her hair was black and worn long. She had a similar staff and the same bat-like wings growing out of her temples.

"Fortune Lady Dark gains 400 points per Level, and she starts at Level 5."

(2,000 ATK)

"Which means she can outmatch your Queen on her worst day! Attack! Dark curse!"

Dark's eyes glowed with pinpoints of light as she aimed her staff at Queen's Knight. Queen's Knight only gave her a dirty look…

Then Dark fired a blast of shadowy energy, and Queen's Knight shattered.

"So much for her…" said Ravel. "I'll set this facedown…"

A set card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"Then I'll play… Fortune's Future."

She played another Spell Card, and Fortune Lady Light's card appeared in her hand.

"I'll send this back to my deck, then reshuffle…"

The deck was reshuffled.

"…then make two draws…"

She drew twice.

"…and I end my turn…"

"And I activate this," said Ben.

His facedown card lifted up.

"Miracle's Wake. Now I can summon Queen's Knight back."

Queen's Knight appeared again, kneeling and holding her shield in front. (1,600 DEF)

**(B: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 8,000)**

Ben made a draw.

He quickly set the card in his Disk, and a card appeared set in his Spell Zone.

"That's all for now," he said.

"On the run already?" asked Ravel, as she made a draw. "You make this too easy!

"During my Standby Phase, my Fortune Lady gains a Level, which means she gets stronger."

(2,400 ATK)

"And now she'll attack your Knight again!"

Fortune Lady Dark aimed her staff…

"Not so fast!" shouted Ben, as his facedown card lifted up.

"Ergh, a Trap!" cursed Ravel.

"Sakuretsu Armor!" exclaimed Ben.

"Never…" said Ravel, as her facedown card lifted up. "I activate Interdimensional Matter Transporter!"

A weird device vaguely shaped like a mechanical tree appeared behind Fortune Lady Dark. She vanished in a beam of energy.

"This removes her from the field until the end of the turn," she said. "So Dark escaped your Trap Card."

"But my Monster is safe," replied Ben, "and when Dark comes back, her scores will be reset to 2,000."

Ravel frowned, and set a card in her Disk. A new facedown card appeared in her Spell Zone.

She waved her hand. Fortune Lady Dark reappeared. (2,000 ATK)

"I draw!" shouted Ben, drawing a card.

"Then I move Queen's Knight into Attack Mode…"

Queen's Knight stood up, glaring angrily at Ravel and Dark. (1,500 ATK)

"Then, I summon King's Knight."

She played a card, and another Warrior appeared. He wore golden armor which, like his sister's, was decorated with playing card symbols. He wore a helmet shaped like a crown, and carried a sword and a round shield. (1,600 ATK)

"See Ravel? I have Queen's Knight and King's Knight. That means I get to call forth Jack's Knight…"

In an aura of light, the third of the siblings appeared. He was garbed in sapphire-blue armor, again covered with playing card symbols, had long, blonde hair, and carried a sword and a crest-shaped shield with a cross on it. (1,900 ATK)

"Impressive…" said Ravel.

"Next I play… Banner of Courage!" exclaimed Ben.

He played a card, and a Continuous Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.

"With this card in play, for my Battle Phase only, my Monsters gain 200 Attack Points.

"Jack's Knight, attack Fortune Lady Dark!"

Jack's Knight charged at the Spellcaster, his Attack Score rising to 2,100. He made a great swing, cleaving Dark in half at the middle.

"Activate Inherited Fortune!" shouted Ravel, as her Trap Card lifted up.

"What does that do?" asked Ben.

"You'll see…" said Ravel, with a sinister grin. "Next turn…"

Ben frowned.

"Queen's Knight, King's Knight…" he said. "Wipe that smile off her face…"

The two Knights rushed at Ravel. Strangely, she only cackled as their swords cut into her.

Ravel continued to chuckle as they backed off…

**(B: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,400)**

"I didn't think you had it in you hon…" she said, slowly. "Seems I was wrong, and I'm glad…

"So many of the wimps who came to me were spineless losers who nearly wet their pants when they saw the hordlings. No-one was able to stand up to me like you are now…

"You have the heart of a warrior… It's all I hoped for!"

"Yes, I have the heart of a warrior!" replied Ben. "I may know the meaning bravery, but also of words like honor, loyalty, and justice. Those are words a slave trader like you only uses to manipulate people.

"Make your move…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At this moment, Dugan, Nichole, and Karl ran into the Great Hall.

"Whoa…" said Nichole.

In front of them was a huge dome of pure blackness. It crackled and pulsated with dark energy.

"Look familiar?" asked Dugan.

"Yeah…" said Karl. "This is the same setup that King Skuld was able to put together before Edgar took him down… I'd bet that Ravel is participating in a very serious Shadow Duel, and that she did _not _want any outside interference.

"And I hate to say it, but… The only person she could be dueling would have to be Ben…"

"So what do we do?" asked Dugan. "If this _is _like Skuld's arena, I don't think we can dispel it… Ben is on his own…"

Nichole clutched the symbol of St. Cuthbert around her neck.

"We have to do the only thing we can…" she said.

"What?" asked Karl. "Pray?"

"I hate to say it," said Dugan, "but that's about it…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's my move…" said Ravel, making a draw.

"Due to Inherited Fortune," she said, "because a Fortune Lady was destroyed last turn, I get to Special Summon _two _of them from my hand this turn.

"So… Say hello to Fortune Lady Earth and Fortune Lady Water!"

In a cloud of dust, a new Fortune Lady appeared, this one wearing a beige cloak with brown hair, and spectacles. Then there was a cloud of bubbles, and another one appeared kneeling in Defense Mode. This one wore blue, and had long, flowing, blue hair.

"Fortune Lady Earth has 400 points per level, and she starts at Level 6," said Ravel.

(2,400 ATK)

"While Water has 300 per Level, and starts at Level 4."

(1,200 DEF)

"Plus, because I Special Summoned Water while I had another Fortune Lady, I get to draw two cards…"

She made two draws. She chuckled as she looked at them.

"And it's time for someone new! I summon Catoblepas and the Witch of Fate!"

There was a dark aura, and a new Spellcaster appeared, one much older than the Fortune Ladies. It was an old hag wearing a witch's hat, holding a staff with a golden orb. She was sitting on a large creature that looked like a cross between a hippopotamus and a giant ram. (1,800 ATK)

"Seems I've evened the field," said Ravel. "But not for long… Fortune Lady Earth, attack Jack's Knight with Cursed Thorn!"

Earth twirled her staff over her head, and slammed it to the ground. Spikes erupted out of the ground, rushing towards Jack's Knight and blowing him to pieces.

"Now, my Witch of Fate will deal with your Queen's Knight…" she continued.

The Witch of Fate cackled, and cast a powerful whammy, blasting Queen's Knight to particles.

"There's something to be said for the systematic removal of the competition," said Ravel. "It's your move…"

**(B: 6,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,400)**

Ben held his chest. He heart was beating heavily. This duel was taking a toll on him.

He looked at his hand.

_All I need is the right card… _he thought.

He made a draw.

_Got it!_

He quickly played another one.

"I play Dark Factory of Mass Production!" he shouted.

"By playing this card, I get Queen's Knight and Jack's Knight back…"

He took the two cards from his discard slot.

"And now… I play Polymerization!"

He threw the card into his Duel Disk.

"I fuse together Queen's Knight, King's Knight, and Jack's Knight…"

The three Knights appeared, and then turned into three orbs of light. They combined into a spiral of energy.

"…to call forth a greater power… Come forth, Arcana Knight Joker!"

With a roar, a larger knight, shining with radiance leapt onto the field. His armor was an elaborate combination of silver and royal purple, still covered with playing card symbols, and he held a huge sword in his right hand. (3,800 ATK)

"I activate the effect of Catoblepas and the Witch of Fate!" shouted Ravel.

"Huh?" said Ben.

"That's right hon," said Ravel, with a chuckle. "I hate to ruin such an epic moment for you…"

Fortune Lady Dark slipped out of her discard slot.

"…but because I have a Monster in my Graveyard with an indeterminate Attack Score, I can remove her from play so that my Witch of Fate can destroy a Monster that you Special Summon…"

The Witch of Fate cackled, and fired a blast of dark energy at Joker. He grunted, and shattered into pixels.

Ben paused for a minute…

"It's still my turn, Ravel…" he said, slowly.

He took two cards from his hand.

"I'll set a facedown card…"

A set card appeared in front of him.

"Then, I'll play Axe of Despair…"

"Axe of Despair?" asked Ravel. "You have no Monsters to Equip it to…"

Then she was startled as it appeared in Fortune Lady Earth's hands. (3,400 ATK)

"I end my turn…" said Ben.

Ravel looked at Ben closely.

"Making my Monster stronger?" she asked. "Are you giving up? Have you accepted destiny?

"You might have…"

She made a draw.

"But then, I'm not stupid…

"During my Standby Phase, both my Fortune Ladies go up one Level…"

Fortune Lady Water's score rose to 1,500, while Earth's Attack Score rose to 3,800.

"And due to Fortune Lady Earth's effect, you lose 400 Life Points when her Level increases."

Ben groaned a little as a fiery aura hit him.

"Now, I move Water into Attack Mode…"

Fortune Lady Water stood up. (1,500 ATK)

"…and play the Spell Card, Storm of Ill-Fortune," continued Ravel, as she played a Spell Card. "I get to name any Spell or Trap I can think of, and if you trigger it, you take 3,000 points of damage.

"I'm going to name…"

She pointed to Ben's set card.

"…Magic Cylinder!

"Let's see if I'm right… Fortune Lady Earth, attack him directly with Cursed Thorn!"

Fortune Lady Earth slammed the Axe of Despair to the ground, and Ben screamed as the spikes bit into his flesh.

He took some deep breaths…

"Bitch…" he muttered.

**(B: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,400)**

"No, Ravel…" he said through his pain. "You were definitely _not _right. Seems I outwitted you again…"

His facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Damage Gate!" he shouted. "Now I can Special Summon from my Graveyard a Monster with an Attack Score equal to or less than the damage I took…

"And you can't use your Witch of Fate's effect this time, because there are no Monsters in your Graveyard that fit the bill."

Arcana Knight Joker appeared again, and this time, he looked angry. (3,800 ATK)

Ravel looked upset.

"I can still play this Spell Card…" she said. "Activate, Sebek's Blessing!"

She played a Quickplay Spell, and the hideous form of the crocodile god Sebek appeared behind her.

"By using this, I gain Life Points equal to the amount you lost from that direct attack.

"And it's your move…"

**(B: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 8,200)**

Ben drew a card.

_Pot of Avarice? _he thought. _Darn… Not exactly the right time for that…_

"I attack Fortune Lady Earth with Arcana Knight Joker!" he shouted.

Joker lifted his sword.

"And don't forget, due to Banner of Courage, he gets a small bonus…"

(4,000 ATK)

"…making him just strong enough. Go! Celestial blade!"

Joker leapt at the Spellcaster, and brought his sword down hard. Fortune Lady Earth was blown apart like a glass vase being hit with a crowbar.

"That's all I can do…" said Ben.

**(B: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 8,000)**

Ravel grumbled as she made a draw.

"All right, hon," she said, "that Joker of yours definitely has got to go…

"Fortune Lady Water gains another Level and 300 more Attack Points…"

(1,800 ATK)

"But due to what I have to do next, I'm moving her to Defense Mode."

Water knelt, and held her staff in her lap. (1,800 DEF)

"It seems I have to take a risk here. This card can only be used during my first Main Phase…"

She played a Spell Card.

"It's called Uncertain Future. You get to draw once, but I get to Special Summon a Fortune Lady from my Graveyard…"

Fortune Lady Earth appeared in front of her, defending just like Water was. (2,400 DEF)

Ben made one draw.

"You see," she continued, "I know all about Joker's effect… I know that if you discard a Monster, he can negate a Monster effect aimed at him. But my two Fortune Ladies will be adequate shields next round if this doesn't work out."

Ben looked at the card he had drawn. It was Emergency Provisions. Neither of the cards in his hand was a Monster…

It seemed Ravel's plan was going to work…

"I summon Solitaire Magician," she said.

A new Spellcaster appeared, one that looked like she might be a kid sister of one of the Fortune Ladies. She was younger, but had a similar outfit and staff, and the same bat-like wings growing out of her temples. Her turquoise hair was in pigtails. (1,600 DEF)

"Now I use her effect," continued Ravel. "By reducing Fortune Lady Water's Level by three, I can destroy one of your Monsters."

Solitaire Magician grinned wickedly as she aimed her staff at Joker. Fortune Lady Water's scores fell to 900.

The Solitaire Magician blasted a beam of pure light, and Joker was vaporized.

"Anyway…" said Ravel. "I have to skip my Battle Phase this turn because I used Uncertain Future. Hence the name."

She looked at Ben hard.

"Just give up!" she with a sigh. "You defeated me by being smart once, but I've grown smarter since then, by thousands of years.

"I mean, just look! My Life Points are way ahead of yours, and I have four Monsters on the field. Seeing as you didn't use Joker's effect to save him, you obviously have none.

"Next round, my Spellcasters are all gonna plow into you!"

"Never…" said Ben.

"Suit yourself…" said Ravel.

She set two cards in her Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

"I end my turn…"

Ben drew a card.

_We'll soon see… _he thought, as he looked at it.

"I set this card," he said, as he set Pot of Avarice into his Disk. "Then, I play Emergency Provisions to dispose of it and Banner of Courage, and gain 2,000 Life Points."

He played the Spell Card, and both of the other cards vanished. Ravel cackled.

"You only have one card left!" she laughed. "What could you possibly do with one card?"

Ben quickly played it.

"It's called Card of Reversal," he replied. "And _because _it's the only card I have, I now get to draw one card for each face-up card _you _have.

"I count five, four Monsters, and Storm of Ill-Fortune."

Ravel looked in disbelief as Ben made five draws.

_All right… _he thought, as he looked at them. _Now I might have a chance…_

"I play Re-Fusion!" he exclaimed, playing one of them. "By dropping 800 Life Points, I can bring Joker back to the field."

Arcana Knight Joker appeared again. (3,800 ATK)

"But he isn't staying," he continued. "Because next, I'm playing De-Fusion!"

He played another card, and Joker vanished. In his place, Queen's Knight (1,500 ATK), King's Knight (1,600 ATK), and Jack's Knight (1,900 ATK) appeared.

"Now to summon someone new! I sacrifice Queen's Knight, King's Knight, and Jack's Knight…"

The three knights turned into orbs of light. Thunder rumbled…

"No…" said Ravel. "It can't be…"

Then lightning flashed, and a Warrior just as big as Joker stepped forward…

Ravel stepped backwards as Gilford the Lightning glared at her. (2,800 ATK)

Ben said nothing. He turned to Gilford, and the powerful Warrior slowly drew his sword…

Ravel braced herself as lightning flashed, and then struck her side of the field, blowing her four Spellcasters to particles.

Then her Storm of Ill-Fortune shattered, unable to stay on the field without any Fortune Ladies.

"Attack directly!" shouted Ben. "Thunder blade!"

Ravel barely had time to react. Gilford moved with incredible speed for someone so big. She screamed as his electric-charged blade struck her, and she fell backwards, bouncing twice before landing on her back.

**(B: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 5,200)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Outside the dome of Shadow energy, Ben's three allies watched.

And as they watched, a violent shudder shook the dark dome. It shook and undulated for a few seconds.

"Something just happened in there…" said Karl.

"Wait…" said Nichole.

She grinned.

"Ravel is maintaining this dome with her magic…" she said, excitedly. "For a few seconds there, she was having trouble doing so…

"That means she was just hurt…"

"Which means, Ben just got a good, solid hit against her!" added Dugan, catching on.

"People… It's far from over…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Ow…" groaned Ravel.

"That… _hurt…"_

She paused before getting up.

"For the first time in centuries, someone has managed to hurt me…" she mused.

"I'll hurt you more if you persist," said Ben. "So are you willing to accept 'no' for an answer and give me my mortality back?"

Ravel laughed.

"No!" she cackled. "The fact that you managed to hurt me made me certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were the one I wanted. The one who is fated to rule beside me…"

"Ravel…" said Ben. "You may not see it, but this duel is a lost cause for you… Even if you win, even if you force me to be your consort, all I would be is another slave. I'd never truly love you, and I'd never be a willing companion. Deep down, it would still be master and unwilling servant. And that's not an arrangement of equality."

"Maybe not at first," said Ravel, "but in time, it will be…

"I activate my Trap…"

One of her facedown cards lifted up.

"Shock Draw lets me draw one card for every thousand points of damage I took. Rounded down, that's two cards."

She made two draws.

Ben sighed.

"I end my turn…" he said.

Ravel quickly made a draw.

She set a card, and it appeared in her Spell Zone next to the other one.

"Done," she said.

Ben looked at her.

"What?" she said. "Confused?"

Ben drew a card. He looked at it and the other two cards in his hand.

_No Monsters… _he thought. _Just two Traps and my other Polymerization…_

He set the two Trap Cards, and they appeared facedown.

"Gilford, attack…" he said.

"Not so fast, hon," said Ravel.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"It's both a Trap _and _a Monster," she said.

A mass of liquid silver ooze appeared in front of her.

"The impenetrable Metal Reflect Slime!"

The ooze grew, and formed into a hulking, vaguely humanoid shape made out of silvery slime. (3,000 DEF)

"If you think hiding behind a wall of snot is going to stop me for long…" said Ben.

_But I don't need to keep it for "long", _thought Ravel. _Only long enough to summon my ultimate Spellcaster._

"My turn is over…" said Ben.

Ravel quickly made a draw.

"I summon Fortune Lady Fire!" she exclaimed.

A flame burst next to Metal Reflect Slime, and another Fortune Lady took shape from it. She wore a red cloak, and had bright red hair. (400 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice Fortune Lady Fire and Metal Reflect Slime…"

The two Monsters burst into particles of light…

"…to summon the powerful Lady Misfortune!"

A beautiful woman took shape in front of Ravel. Ben quickly recognized her – she was the illusion that Ravel had taken before the duel to seduce him. However, she didn't look nearly as seductive now as she did then. She looked at Ben with a wicked smirk. (3,000 ATK)

"Three-thousand?" asked Ben, nervously.

"And I haven't gotten to the best part, said Ravel, as she played a Spell Card. "By Equipping her with Scroll of Bewitchment, I can change her Attribute from Dark to Fire."

Lady Misfortune's gown turned to fire engine red.

"Why did I do that, you ask?" she continued. "Because, once per round, I can choose one Monster, and Lady Misfortune gains an effect depending on the chosen Monster's Attribute.

"So, if I choose Lady Misfortune herself, who is now a Fire Monster, and she destroys a Monster by battle, you take damage equal to the destroyed Monster's Attack Score."

Lady Misfortune pointed at Gilford, and a shroud of flames covered her hand.

"I'm sorry about this Gilford…" said Ben.

One of his Trap Cards shot up.

"I activate Destruct Potion!" he shouted. "It destroys Gilford before your attack lands, and grants me 2,800 Life Points!"

Gilford the Lightning shattered.

"Fine!" said Ravel, now getting angry. "I'll attack you directly!"

Lady Misfortune shot a blast of flame from her hand, and Ben screamed as the flames burned into every pore. He fell on his behind.

**(B: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 5,200)**

"Clever…" said Ravel. "You ended up only losing 200 Life Points instead of 3,000… But you're still losing.

"Make your move…"

Ben took some deep breaths. He stood up, and made a draw.

He quickly threw it on his Duel Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

He nodded.

"On the run again, hon?" asked Ravel, as she made a draw.

She looked at it. It was the Spell Card, Time Passage.

_Can't use this now, _she thought, looking at her facedown card, _but I have one use for it…_

The facedown card lifted up.

"Because it's my Standby Phase," she said, "I can activate Non Aggression Area. So I toss one card…"

She discarded Time Passage.

"And on your next turn, you aren't allowed to summon or set any Monsters!"

Ben made a scowl.

"All that's left is to destroy your last one," she continued. "Once again, I'll choose Lady Misfortune herself for her effect."

Lady Misfortune pointed at the set card, and a wave of flame shot towards it. Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and was burned to ashes.

"And I believe that Morphing Jar had 700 Attack Points…" she chuckled.

Ben discarded his last card, and they both made five draws.

**(B: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 5,200)**

"It's your move…" she said. "Don't forget, no Monsters this turn…"

Ben growled, and made a draw.

"In that case, I pass…" he said.

Ravel chuckled as she made a draw. It was Call of the Haunted.

She smirked.

_Better late than never… _she thought.

"Six cards, and nothing you could do…" she said. "Sad, really…"

She played a Spell Card.

"I play Monster Reincarnation!"

She made a discard, and took Fortune Lady Water from her discard slot. Then she threw the card on her Disk, and Water appeared in a burst of bubbles. (1,200 ATK)

"Fortune Lady Water, attack him directly!" ordered Ravel. "Soaking chill!"

The Spellcaster twirled her staff, and shot a blast of freezing water at Ben. He grunted as it chilled him to the bone.

"Now to end this duel!" said Ravel.

Lady Misfortune formed an orb of blackness in her hands…

"I still have one Trap Card!" shouted Ben, as his last facedown card shot up. "Ground Capture!"

As Lady Misfortune threw her projectile, a huge hand made of rock and soil burst out of the ground in front of Ben.

"Huh?" said Ravel.

"This will cushion the blow," said Ben, "cutting the strength of your attack in half…"

The bolt of dark energy hit the hand, smashing through it and hitting Ben, but it had done its job and weakened the energy before it hit him.

Ben took some deep breaths.

**(B: 100) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 5,200)**

"I'm still in the duel, Ravel…" he said. "And Ground Capture has another effect… Because the damage I took was more than 500 points, I get to draw one card."

He made a draw.

"I'll set these…" said Ravel, as two facedown cards appeared, "and it's your move…"

She looked at the two set cards. The first was Torrential Tribute, which she would trigger if Ben brought back that annoying Arcana Knight Joker. The second was Call of the Haunted; even if Joker survived, she simply had to use it during his End Phase to bring back Fortune Lady Earth, and her effect would deplete the rest of his Life Points.

Ben looked at her. He looked at those two set cards. He wasn't fooled. He knew they were deadly.

He slowly drew a card.

He smirked at Ravel.

"Seems I'm going to throw a big monkey wrench in your plans, Ravel!" he said. "I play Giant Trunade!"

Ravel gasped as the Spell Card appeared, and her two set cards, along with Scroll of Bewitchment, were blown off the field.

"You're making me angry now…" she said with a growl. "Go ahead and bring Joker back, I'd love to destroy him again!"

"I'm not summoning Joker again…" said Ben, now calmer than he was before.

"First, because you have Monsters and I have none, I can Special Summon Level Warrior!"

There was a burst of stars, and a cowled, caped superhero in scarlet with golden stars on his mask and shirt appeared. (300 ATK)

"Because I summoned him that way, his Level becomes 4. Next, I summon the Tuner Monster, Chaos-End Master."

He played the card, and a new Warrior appeared. He looked like a cross between a Warrior and a resident of the Higher Plane, with gold design on his pure white outfit and feathered wings. (1,500 ATK)

"Now, I can Tune both of them together…"

The two Warriors leapt up, and soared into the darkness of the arena, dissolving into a cluster of stars…

"_The clouds will darken and split, heralding the arrival of a fighter who can call forth the true power of the storm!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Lightning Warrior!"_

Thunder rolled, and lightning flashed, and a powerful, muscular Warrior landed in front of Ben. He wore silvery segmented armor with a red sash around his waist, had long, red hair, and eyes that crackled with electricity. (2,400 ATK)

"Interesting…" said Ravel. "But he's no match for Lady Misfortune…"

"I'll get to her later," said Ben, holding up a Spell Card. "Right now, it's her power I want.

"The Spell Card Riryoku will take half of her Attack Points, and give them to Lightning Warrior."

Lady Misfortune held her chest in shock as her Attack Score fell down to 1,500, and Lightning Warrior's rose to 3,900.

"Now, Lightning Warrior…" ordered Ben, "attack Fortune Lady Water with Lightning Punisher!"

Lightning Warrior pointed, and shot a blast of lightning at the Fortune Lady. Water screamed and her hair stood on end before she exploded into blue shards.

"ERGH!" gasped Ravel, holding her stomach.

**(B: 100) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 2,500)**

"That was a mistake, hon…" she said, through her teeth. "You should have destroyed Lady Misfortune when you had the chance… When your turn ends, Riryoku will wear off, and she'll destroy that Synchro and you along with it!"

"But my turn isn't over," replied Ben. "You see, when Lightning Warrior destroys your Monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you take 300 points of damage for each card in your hand."

Ravel stopped short. She realized that, due to his Giant Trunade, she had five cards in her hand.

Then she screamed as lightning struck again, striking her.

**(B: 100) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 1,000)**

"It's still not over…" she growled.

"But it will be in a minute," said Ben, as he played another Spell Card.

"I play Enemy Controller!

"I'll sacrifice Lightning Warrior, to take control of Lady Misfortune!"

Lightning Warrior turned into an orb of energy, which flew at Lady Misfortune, striking her. The Spellcaster gasped as she was pulled over to Ben's side of the field.

"This can't be happening!" shouted Ravel.

"Oh, but it is," said Ben. "Lady Misfortune… Finish her!"

Lady Misfortune blasted fire from her hands, and the night hag screamed and fell to her knees…

**(B: 100) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 0)**

Ben collapsed, exhausted, as the dome of dark shadow energy around them disintegrated.

"BEN!" yelled Nichole.

Ben felt Nichole's warm arms around him, slowly giving him back his strength.

"I'm okay…" he gasped. "I'm okay…"

He and the three Shadowchasers looked at the defeated night hag who was on her knees glaring at them. They all tensed…

No-one realized that there was someone else in the room. Up on the balcony, a man dressed completely in black, wearing a mask to conceal his face, was watching.

_Ravel lost? _he thought. _Hmph… Either prison truly made her rusty, or my old friend has gotten even stronger than I thought he has._

_No matter… Time to do what I came here to do…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CARD OF REVERSAL (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Vorse Raider, KA-2 Des Scissors, Half Goblin, and Crawling Dragon all behind a Duel Monsters card.

**Card Description: **You can activate this card when you control no cards on the field and this is the only card in your hand. Draw 1 card for each face-up card your opponent controls.

_Note: "Card of Reversal" was first used by Kenzan in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Taken by Storm (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GROUND CAPTURE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A large hand with a glowing orb in the palm reaching out of the ground.

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent declares an attack. Reduce the Battle Damage you take from the attack by half. If you take 500 or more points of damage from the attack, draw one card.

_Note: "Ground Capture" was first used by Aki in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Truth and Consequences (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**STORM OF ILL-FORTUNE (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **An angry Fortune Lady Wind in the middle of a storm of chaotic energy.

**Card Description: **If you do not control at least 1 "Fortune Lady" Monster, destroy this card. When this card is activated, name 1 Spell or Trap Card. If your opponent activates the named Spell or Trap Card, destroy this card and inflict 3,000 points of damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**UNCERTAIN FUTURE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Fortune Lady Light and Fortune Lady Fire cautiously approaching a glowing portal.

**Card Description: **Activate only during your Main Phase opponent draws 1 card. Special Summon 1 "Fortune Lady" Monster from your Graveyard. This round, you cannot conduct your Battle Phase.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LADY MISFORTUNE**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 2 Monsters, at least 1 of which must be a "Fortune Lady" Monster. Once per turn, select 1 face up Monster on the field. This card gains 1 of the following effects until the End Phase, depending on the Attribute of the selected Monster: FIRE: When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, inflict damage to the destroyed Monster's controller equal to the base ATK of the destroyed Monster. EARTH: Once per turn, you may destroy 1 Monster. This card cannot attack during the turn this effect is used. WIND: When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. WATER: When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, draw 1 card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: I've defeated Ravel, but now what? Somehow, I doubt she will give me my mortality back even now. **_

_**This chapter of my story is almost over, but there may be another page or two left before turning to the next one…**_

"_**Unexpected Developments; The Lesser of Two Evils" is coming soon.**_


	26. Unexpected Developments

_This chapter is a result of a discussion I had with a friend I played Dungeons & Dragons with about who would win a fight between dragons and fiends. No Fiend-Type Monsters appear in this chapter… But keep reading, and you'll get the idea, along with my opinion on the matter._

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**DUEL TWENTY-SIX**

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**Unexpected Developments**

**The Lesser of Two Evils**

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Karl held his hand ever his eyes.

"Sarah…" he said, sadly.

Who was Sarah? Years ago, when he was in high school, she was a woman whom he had loved. A bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked young woman with pigtails, someone who you'd think was as innocent as they came. Someone whom he thought was smart enough not to fall for the muscle-headed morons on the football team, someone who had loved him back… But she had broken his heart and crushed him utterly.

It was so long ago and most of the time, he never thought of her any more. But right now, for some reason, he suddenly started thinking about her… Tears started to form in his eyes.

Then he came to a realization. This was neither the time nor the place.

He slugged himself in the face, and the cursed effect of the Grey Waste lost its hold on him, for the moment at least.

He looked at Ravel, and remembered what they had been doing. He lifted his sword and looked at Ben.

Dugan set his blunderbuss to the maximum setting, and aimed it at the fallen night hag.

"It's all over Ravel," said Dugan. "You're coming with us…"

"You all right, Ben?" asked Karl.

Ben held his head.

"Yes…" said Ben. "Yes! My head's never been clearer! Ravel's Dark Cob is gone!"

He stood up.

"I want my mortality back, Ravel," he said.

"Good point," said Dugan. "Give Ben back what you took from him, Ravel, and we might ask the judge to go easy on you."

Ravel chuckled a little as she got up.

"Give you your mortality back?" she said. "Uh… I'm afraid I don't have it, hon…"

"Then where is it?" demanded Ben.

"I don't know…" replied Ravel, with a shrug. "It disappeared after the ritual where I took it away from you. I didn't see what happened to it."

Ben's eyes opened wide.

"Then it could be anywhere!" he shouted. "Anywhere in the known universe! It might even have been destroyed…"

Ravel grinned.

"Heh, heh…" she chuckled. "Impossible… You're here, aren't you? You're here talking to me, aren't you? If you exist, your mortality must be out there somewhere, and it must be intact… So long as you exist, your mortality is indestructible… It can't die, so long as you live."

Then Ravel laughed manically. She smashed her hand through the glass of the display case next to her.

"What the…" said Nichole.

Ravel lifted her hand out, her forearm bleeding from glass cuts, but holding the dreaded artifact her henchmen had found.

"Watch out!" shouted Ben. "She has the Bringer of Doom!"

"The Bringer of Doom?" exclaimed Dugan.

"I couldn't convince you…" chuckled Ravel. "I couldn't force you… All that's left for me to do is threaten you, hon…

"I won't let you leave… If you don't agree to stay, I'll just have to trigger this right here…

"You'll survive, but your three friends here won't… If the explosion doesn't kill them, the horde that it summons will…"

"Drop it, Ravel…" said Ben. "You'll be killed too…"

"I don't care," replied Ravel. "If I lose you again, I have nothing to live for…"

Dugan looked to the side, towards his front pocket where the Cubic Gate was. He figured he could drop his weapon and activate it, whisking him, Karl, Nichole and Ben to one of its six locations before Ravel used the dreaded device.

But then he realized that Ravel was within the ten foot radius. She'd go with them… That would make things worse; she might unleash the Bringer of Doom's wrath on a place full of innocent civilians…

"Well, hon?" asked Ravel, as her thumb rested on the gem. "What's it gonna be?"

No-one saw the masked figure on the balcony above them. No-one saw that he was aiming a sniper rifle…

No-one saw it coming. They just heard the gunshot.

Ravel Darkquill froze. Her eyes glazed over. The Bringer of Doom fell out of her hand.

Then she fell on her face. A bullet wound was in the back of her skull.

Everyone looked up, and saw the sniper rush for the exit.

"Stop right there!" shouted Dugan.

But he was already gone.

Karl knelt over Ravel.

"We're too late, people…" he said. "Ravel never had a chance…"

He looked up where the gunman had fled.

"That guy was clearly a professional. Someone wanted Ravel dead."

"But who?" asked Nichole. "Who besides the Shadowchasers even knew she was out of jail?"

Dugan careful picked up the Bringer of Doom.

"I'll give this to Jalal…" he said. "He has a vault somewhere where he puts things like this…"

Nichole looked at Ben.

"Ben…" she said. "You… You look upset…"

Ben sighed.

"Ravel is dead, and I won't shed any tears," said Ben. "She was a merciless slave trader and a dark sorceress…

"But her death doesn't end my problem… My mortality is still lost, and I still know nothing about why I didn't want it so long ago…"

He paused.

"Seems we only have one clue…

"What _can _change the nature of a man?"

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Several condemned and abandoned factories and warehouses stood in the Hive. They had been left to rot, and over time, had become havens for some of the most unpleasant Shadowkind. Ruin roaches and trolls made their lairs in some of these cavernous buildings, and whole packs of wererats foraged in some of them.

In one of these condemned factories, three men walked past a rusting "No Trespassing" sign into the main building as the shadows grew long.

One of them was Taka, wearing an expensive overcoat.

One of the men with him was one of his bodyguards (not Ernie) holding an assault rifle. Unlike the ones that Dugan had fought when the two had first met, this bodyguard was not for show. He had actually been hired with the intent of protecting his boss.

The other man was a short, squat man in spectacles. He carried a small briefcase. This was a safecracker whom Taka employed.

"Not the most secure place, boss," said the bodyguard. "You sure there's important stuff in here?"

"I doubt Mr. Fanciullo would tell lies," replied Taka. "Besides, I looked this place up, and it was rather suspicious.

"According to the city zoning board, the deed to this place is owned by someone named Devin Deblin.

"I Googled that name… I found absolutely nothing."

They walked through the old factory, which was still full of rusty conveyor belts and machinery. An old contraption that looked like it had once been made for cooking stood rusting in the corner.

"What did they used to make here?" asked the safecracker.

"Baby food, I think," replied Taka. "There…"

He pointed to a door that apparently led to an office.

"Perry?" he said.

The safecracker tried the door, and found it locked. He quickly opened the briefcase, and took out a set of high-tech skeleton keys.

"This one should do…" he said.

He fiddled with the lock for about a minute, and then the door opened.

They entered the room, which looked a good deal cleaner than the rest of the factory. A desk still stood in the corner next to a swivel chair, and a clock was on the wall, clearly not working, as it was stuck at eight forty-five.

Taka thought for a minute.

He pointed to the clock.

Perry carefully lifted the clock off the wall.

"Paydirt!" he said.

It was indeed. Behind the clock was a high-tech safe with a computerized digital combination lock that was still functioning.

Perry took some more tools out of the briefcase.

"Give me five minutes, boss," he said.

"Hurry," said Taka. "I wouldn't be surprised if we already tripped some alarms and whoever _really _owns this place has already sent someone on the way here."

"Fool," said a female voice. "I've been here the whole time."

Taka spun around, just as a canister rolled into the room…

Then it burst, and smoke filled the room. Taka covered his mouth, but he heard his two henchmen choking…

Taka was no fool. This wasn't tear gas… This was some sort of magical chemical created by alchemy…

The smoke quickly cleared. Taka was unharmed, but his two henchmen were far from alright. Their clothes were lying on the floor.

It took Taka a minute to see the two cats that were in the room, meowing softly.

"Baleful Polymorph!" he gasped.

He touched his chest. He was wearing a special amulet enchanted with ancient Yokai magic. A silver three-pointed star set with three rubies. Clearly, that was why the gas had not affected him. Even so, one of the three rubies had shattered. When all three were gone, its magic would be spent.

"Damn..." said the female voice. "Should have packed the stronger stuff... That weak version is no good against Yokai."

Taka turned to face the woman as she walked in. It was Lorelei, but she looked _very _different than she did when she was in a regular mood. Cambions were able to let their demon sides through whenever they wanted to, and this was an occasion where Lorelei wanted to.

Right now, she looked little different than the evil temptress that had carried her. She had horns on her head, bat-like wings, very dark eyebrows, and her bare feet were hooved. Her eyes looked more like those of a cat's than before. Her choice of wardrobe had changed dramatically, to a bikini top and pair of gossamer harem pants.

Taka bore his claws… Lorelei casually picked up the cat that had been the bodyguard and started petting it.

"You like cats, Mr. Taka?" she asked.

"No, I do not, thank you very much," he replied.

"Oh, of course..." replied Lorelei. "Cats eat birds... So I guess turning you into one would be the cruelest fate that could ever befall you..."

Taka hissed.

"Thing is..." said Lorelei. "I'd have to subdue you to do that... And you'd likely fight like the monstrous half-man-half-hawk you are."

"I'm not scared to fight you..." replied Taka.

Lorelei put the cat down.

"Tell me something, Mr. Taka..." she said. "You say you aren't scared to fight me that way... Are you brave enough to risk it all in a Duel of Shadows?"

"Why?" asked Taka. "Are _you _afraid to get your hands dirty?"

"No," said Lorelei. "But tell me, Mr. Taka, why do you think I was here waiting for you? I knew you were coming… I won't tell you how… Suffice to say, I have ways to crush you like you'd never believe…

"Duel me, take a risk, and you might leave this warehouse alive. Refuse and you have no chance at all."

Taka glared at her. He remembered one axiom he lived by when he was a general for the armies of the Howling Gale.

_When given a chance on the battlefield, _he thought, _the smart general takes it. _

"I don't know who you are…" he said. "But you make a good point…"

He took a small item out of his coat that was the size of an older model cellular phone. Then he clipped it to his wristband. Quickly, it unfolded, revealing itself to be a collapsible Duel Disk. He placed a deck in the holder.

"A Pocket Disk!" laughed Lorelei. "Seems someone has been shopping with Kaibacorp's exclusive catalogue."

Then a Duel Disk appeared on her arm. A very evil-looking one. It was made of black metal, decorated to look like a demon, the deck holder being the demon's mouth, with the tray shaped like a demonic wing.

"Show off," said Taka.

"Let the Shadow Duel begin," chuckled Lorelei.

**(Taka: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Lorelei: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move…" said Lorelei, as she made a draw.

"I'll set this and this…"

Two set cards, one a Monster, and one in her Spell Zone, appeared.

"…and then it's your turn."

Taka made a draw.

He looked over his six cards: Cards of Consonance, Dragunity Dux, Living Fossil, Dragunity Pilum, Dragunity Darkspear, and Flying Kamakiri #1.

_Not bad… _he thought.

"I play Cards of Consonance," he said, as he played the Spell Card. "Now, by discarding a Dragon-Type Tuner Monster with 1,000 Attack Points or less…"

He discarded Dragunity Darkspear.

"…I get to draw two times!"

He made two draws.

"Next, I summon Dragunity Pilum."

In a gust of wind, the small, green-scaled Dragon with a helmet with a spear mounted on it flew onto the field. (1,400 ATK)

"And due to its effect, I'm allowed to Special Summon a Winged Beast from my hand with the word 'Dragunity' in its name, and then Equip Pilum to it.

"So, I'll summon Dragunity Dux."

The hawk-headed Dragunity armed with a rod topped with a mass of streamers appeared. (1,500 ATK)

Then Dragunity Pilum transformed into a green gauntlet with a spear on the knuckle, and fit over Dux's hand.

"Due to Dux's effect, he gains 200 more Attack Points for each Dragunity card I have…"

(1,900 ATK)

"Now, I could attack directly using Pilum's effect… But I'd rather get rid of that Monster.

"Attack! Whirlwind blast!"

The streamers on Dux's rod spun, causing a cyclone that shot towards the facedown Monster. Mystic Tomato appeared on the card, and shattered.

"Bad choice," said Lorelei. "Now, I get to summon a Dark Monster with a low Attack Score…

"Like Darklord Bune!"

In a bonfire of flames, a dark-looking angel appeared. He was tall and muscular, with slate-grey, completely bald skin. His feathered wings were completely black, and his eyes were small black flames. Most disturbingly, he had no mouth. His only article of clothing was a white breechcloth. (0 ATK)

_A Darklord? _thought Taka.

"My turn is over…" he said.

"I draw," said Lorelei, making a draw.

Her facedown card lifted up, revealing a Spell Card.

"Then I activate, Angel Fallen into Darkness," she continued. "By sending Bune here to the Graveyard, I get to Special Summon a stronger Dark-Attribute Fairy from my hand."

Bune vanished, and an even more intense bonfire appeared.

"Arise… Darklord Asmodeus!"

A towering form appeared in front of her, surrounded by an uncanny, shadowy aura. He was a far cry from the true Asmodeus, as described in the Book of Tobit, but he was clearly a fallen angel, wearing black armor over white robes, with a black halo and equally black feathered wings. (3,000 ATK)

Taka snarled a little.

"Next," continued Lorelei, "I'll use his effect. Every round, I get to send one Fairy from my deck to the Graveyard."

She took a card from her deck, and discarded it.

"Now my Darklord will attack your Dragunity! Attack Dragunity Dux with Bolt of Bedevilment!"

Darklord Asmodeus pointed at Dragunity Dux, and fired a blast of dark, destructive energy, blowing the Winged Beast to shards.

"Not bad…" chuckled Taka. "But it will take more than that to take this old bird down…

"It's my move!"

**(T: 6,900) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 8,000)**

He made a draw.

He quickly set a Monster on his Disk, and it appeared in front of him.

He nodded.

Lorelei grinned, and made a draw.

"I think I'll play… Allure of Darkness," she said, as she played a Spell Card. "So I draw two cards."

She made two draws.

"Then, I remove one Dark-Attribute Monster in my hand from play, to avoid losing my whole hand."

She held up a card, and it vanished in a dark aura.

"Next, I use Darklord Asmodeus's effect again…"

She took a card from her deck, and discarded it.

"And then he'll attack your Monster! Bolt of Bedevilment!"

The Darklord fired his blast. Flying Kamakiri #1 appeared on the card, and shattered into bug gunk.

"I use my Kamakiri's effect!" shouted Taka. "Just like your Tomato, I Special Summon a Monster with a low Attack Score, only this time, it's a Wind Monster.

"Now let's see… I believe Dragunity Phalanx will do."

Another of the Dragunity Tuners appeared, this one the small Dragon with gold armor and two horns shaped like spear-heads. (500 ATK)

"Then I set one card facedown end my turn," said Lorelei with a frown, as a set card appeared behind Asmodeus.

Taka made a draw.

"I sacrifice Phalanx…" he said.

Phalanx turned into an orb of energy.

"…to summon Dragunity Angusticlavii."

In a blast of wind, the muscular, masked winged beast in blue and orange, holding a bow and a quiver of arrows appeared in front of him. (2,100 ATK)

"Next, I play Living Fossil," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "It lets me Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard, so long as I Equip it with this card."

Dragunity Darkspear appeared, curled up in Defense Mode. (1,000 DEF)

"Sure, it loses 1,000 Attack Points and its effect…" he continued. "But the important thing is, I can Tune my two Monsters together…"

The two Dragunities flew towards the ceiling, fading into a cluster of stars…

**(*3 + *5 = *8)**

"Come forth, Dragunity Knight – Barcha!" 

Like before, the creature that appeared looked like Dragunity Angusticlavii mounted on a much larger version of Dragunity Darkspear, wearing better armor. (2,000 ATK)

Lorelei chuckled.

"I know what you're thinking," said Taka. "Your Monster is stronger…"

Three cards fell out of his discard slot.

"Well… Due to Barcha's effect, I can now Equip it with Darkspear, Phalanx, and Pilum!"

He threw all three cards into slots in his Spell Zone, and the rider's armor turned fuller and fancier. (2,900 ATK)

"Still not strong enough!" laughed Lorelei.

"Then I'll make Asmodeus weaker," replied Taka, "with the Spell Card, Shrink!"

He played the card, and Darklord Asmodeus growled in annoyance. (1,500 ATK)

"Attack Darklord Asmodeus!" shouted the Yokai. "Thunder lance!"

The rider aimed his lance at the Darklord, and fired a volley of lightning bolts. In the next second, the evil Fairy was reduced to ashes.

"Your Asmodeus wasn't so tough," said the crimelord.

"You may have vanquished him," said Lorelei, "but he leaves something behind…"

Two shadows rose on Lorelei's side of the field, and they grew into two duplicates of Darklord Asmodeus. One of them was dressed in blue (1,800 ATK) and the other in red. (1,200 ATK)

"When destroyed, Darklord Asmodeus leaves behind an Asmo Token and a Deus Token," said Lorelei with a grin.

Taka frowned again. He looked over his hand.

He set two cards into the last two spaces of his Spell Zone, and two facedown cards appeared.

"Feh," he said, waving his hand.

**(T: 6,900) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,600)**

Lorelei grinned as she made a draw.

"First thing's first," she said. "Because I removed Darklord Martinet from play last turn, it's summoned to the field this turn."

Another dark shadow appeared next to the Tokens. It looked like a ragged, dark cloak, hovering in the air. There was no sign of any visible creature inside it, just a dark, empty, ghostly cloak. (400 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice my two Tokens," she continued. "Come forth, Goddess of Wisdom…"

The Asmo Token and the Deus Token vanished, and a beautiful woman stepped forward, a platinum-blonde beauty in Greek raiment, wearing a helmet, holding a spear and a round shield. The classical image of Athena. (2,600 ATK)

_So that's it… _thought Taka.

"Now I use Athena's effect," said Lorelei, with a grin. "By sending a Fairy to my Graveyard, like Martinet, I can Special Summon one _from _my Graveyard.

"So, goodbye Martinet…"

The ghostly cloak vanished.

"…hello, Darklord Superbia!"

The creature that appeared didn't look like an angel, fallen or otherwise. It looked like a large, black goblet, with claw-like hands, an ugly face on the front, and huge, brown, feathered wings. (2,900 ATK)

"Due to Athena's effect, you take 600 points of damage when I Special Summon a Fairy from my Graveyard…"

Athena aimed her spear at Taka, and shot a bolt of pure light, hitting him in the chest. Taka grunted a little.

"…and due to Superbia's effect," continued Lorelei, "when it's Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I get to Special Summon _another _Fairy from my Graveyard! So once again, here's Darklord Bune!"

Bune appeared again, glaring at Taka with his blank expression. (0 ATK) Once again, Athena fired her bolt at Taka.

"Did I mention that Bune has an effect of his own?" asked Lorelei. "He's usually powerless… But when Special Summoned from the Graveyard, he gets a great deal stronger."

Bune glowed with shadowy energy… (2,400 ATK)

**(T: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,600)**

Then Lorelei's facedown card lifted up.

"Next, I activate… Rush Recklessly!" she exclaimed. "I'll give Athena a little more kick!"

(3,300 ATK)

"Athena… Destroy Dragunity Knight Barcha with Fires of Olympus!"

Lightning flashed, and Athena aimed her spear. A bolt of energy shot at the Dragunity Knight…

"The only thing that's going to get kicked is your ass, whore," snapped Taka. "I'm not out of tricks yet by a long shot…"

One of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Like Dragunity Barrier! By activating this card, my Monster can survive a battle this round if I get rid of a Dragon-Type Monster that's Equipped to it!"

Darkspear shattered, and Barcha fell to an Attack Score of 2,600. Athena's blast glanced off the Dragon Synchro's thick hide.

"But you still take damage," grumbled Lorelei. "And my Superbia can still do the job…"

The evil chalice's eyes glowed, and fired two blasts of crimson energy.

"Hello?" said Taka. "In case you didn't notice, my Monster has two more Dragons Equipped to it, so Dragunity Barrier lets it survive two more attacks."

Pilum shattered, and Barcha's Attack Score fell to 2,300. Superbia's blasts glanced off the Dragon just as Athena's had.

"Well, might as well make it an even three…" said Lorelei.

Bune fired a beam of dark energy from his eyes at Dragunity Knight Barcha. Phalanx shattered, and the Synchro fell to 2,000 Attack Points, but once again, it survived.

**(T: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,600)**

"Make your move…" said Lorelei.

"I will," said Taka, "but not before I activate this…"

His other facedown card lifted up.

"It's called Dragunity Rejuvenation, and it's sort of like Super Rejuvenation, but made with Dragunities in mind. For each Dragon-Type Monster being used as an Equip Spell that I sent to the Graveyard this turn, I now get to make one draw…"

He drew three cards.

"Now, for my regular draw," he continued.

He made a draw, and looked at his new hand of four cards.

_This cambion is smart… _he thought.

He looked at her. Then he noticed the Obex of Darkness around her neck.

_Eh, figures… _he thought.

_She obviously plans next turn to use Athena's effect to send Bune to the Graveyard to summon the other Fairy she sent there with Asmodeus's effect, and keep doing that every turn._

_Thus, my immediate goal at this point is to get rid of Athena…_

"I activate… the Variety Comes Out Spell Card!" he exclaimed, as he threw a Spell Card into his Duel Disk.

Dragunity Knight Barcha dissolved into particles of light.

"By sending my Synchro Monster back to my Extra Deck, I'm able to Special Summon as many Tuner Monsters as possible from my Graveyard, provided their combined Levels total that of Barcha."

Darkspear appeared first (1,000 DEF) then Pilum (1,000 DEF), then finally, Phalanx. (1,100 DEF)

"So you gave up your big Monster for three little ones?" asked Lorelei. "I happen to know that you can't Synchro Summon on the same turn you use Variety Comes Out."

"That may not be an issue," said Taka, as he held up another Spell Card. "I play Monster Gate.

"By sacrificing one of these 'little ones'…"

Darkspear vanished.

"I get to pick up cards from my deck until I get a Monster, and then Special Summon it."

He picked up a card.

"Yes, this will do…" he said. "I summon Dragunity Militum."

In a burst of wind, the nimble Dragunity with a helmet and mask holding a rapier and dagger leapt onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"He's not even close to being able to beat my Monsters!" laughed Lorelei.

"I'm not done," replied Taka. "I sacrifice Pilum…"

Pilum turned into an orb of light.

"…to summon Handcuffs Dragon!"

A much larger Dragon – sort of – loomed over the field. It was serpentine and lithe, and had two large, curved tusks on its front and another pair on its tail that made it somewhat resemble a pair of handcuffs in general outline. (1,800 ATK)

"Now, my Handcuffs Dragon will attack Athena!"

The large Dragon flew at the Goddess of Wisdom. She frowned and pointed her spear, blowing it to gibbets.

"Why did I do it?" asked Taka.

A phantom version of Handcuffs Dragon appeared, and flew at Athena again.

"Try this on for size!"

The Dragon grappled with the goddess, and she dropped her spear. She struggled, but its tusks pinned her arms to her sides and then her legs together. Her Attack Score plummeted. (800 ATK)

Lorelei looked with disbelief…

"Dragunity Militum, attack!" shouted Taka.

The winged warrior leapt at Athena, and made a slash, cutting her in half. Lorelei grunted a little.

"The best part is," continued Taka, "Handcuffs Dragon is now summoned back to my side of the field…"

The Dragon reappeared next to Militum, curled up in Defense Mode. (1,800 DEF)

"I'll set this card," said Taka, fitting his last card into his Disk, "and I'm done for now…"

**(T: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,700)**

Lorelei was angry now. She quickly snatched the top card off her deck.

"I activate… Fiend's Sanctuary!" she shouted, as she played a Spell Card.

With a shimmer, a small stickman made of metal beads appeared next to her two Darklords. (0 ATK)

"Now I have a Metal Fiend Token," she said. "And now I sacrifice it…"

The Token disintegrated.

"…for Darklord Edeh Arae!"

A new Darklord took shape on the field. He looked more like a Fiend than any Fairy, with a deformed face with ram-like horns, wearing sinister-looking black armor. He had large, clawed hands and black, feathered wings. (2,300 ATK)

"Darklord Superbia, destroy his Dragunity Militum!" shouted Lorelei.

The evil goblet's eyes glowed.

Taka's facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Staunch Defender!" he exclaimed. "Now, your Monster is forced to attack Handcuffs Dragon, and it's the only Monster _any _of your Monsters can attack."

The bolt of energy blasted and blew Handcuffs Dragon to shards. Then the phantom of the Dragon flew at Superbia, and grappled around it. (1,100 ATK)

Lorelei was _very _angry now, and it showed. Flames were flickering around her shoulders and the crown of her head.

"Make… your… move…" she hissed.

"Gladly," said Taka, making a draw.

"Now that I'm clear of the restriction that I was under last round due to Variety Comes Out, I can Tune together Militum and Phalanx…"

The two Dragunities leapt up, and dissolved into a cluster of stars…

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"Synchro Summon… Dragunity Knight – Vajuranda!"

With a roar, a new mounted Dragon appeared on the field. Like before, it looked like Phalanx had grown to giant size, and that Militum was riding it. (1,900 ATK)

Lorelei put her hand on her hip.

"Doesn't look too impressive…" she said.

"We'll see…" said Taka. "I use its effect. Ergo, when Synchro Summoned, I get to take a Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type Monster in my Graveyard with the word 'Dragunity' in its name and Equip it to Vajuranda."

He took Dragunity Darkspear from his discard slot, and fit it into his Disk.

"But that's not all… By getting rid of that Equipped Monster, I can double Vajuranda's Attack Score for one round!"

Darkspear shattered, and Vajuranda roared… (3,800 ATK)

"Attack! Destroy Darklord Bune!" he shouted.

Dragunity Knight – Vajuranda exhaled a cone of chilling frost from its mouth, covering the expressionless Darklord with solid ice. Bune shattered into frozen shards, and Lorelei was knocked over.

"Next, I activate… Pot of Avarice," continued Taka, playing the card he had drawn this round.

He quickly took Darkspear, Pilum, Phalanx, Dux, and Militum from his Graveyard, added them to his deck, and reshuffled.

He made two draws.

"And it seems I can use these right now," he said, as he looked at them. "Because one of them is the Continuous Spell Card, Dragon Mastery!"

He played the card, and it rose up in front of him.

"With this card in play, I can Equip one of my Monsters with a Dragunity Dragon-Type Monster from my hand once per round, and I just happened to draw Dragunity Brandistock right now."

He fit the card in his Disk, and the rider's armor turned light blue.

"And that's not all… Dragon Mastery gives my Monsters 500 more Attack Points for each Dragunity Equipped to them."

(2,400 ATK)

"My turn is over, demon… Make your move."

**(T: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,300)**

"Demon, he says…" grumbled Lorelei. "Like he should talk…"

"The Yokai aren't demons!" snapped Taka. "That was a label placed on us by ignorant and superstitious humans who didn't know better! They also frequently called us 'goblins', even though we aren't related to them either.

"We have one big advantage over demons, I should note: we adhere to an organized and structured system, unlike demon armies who are about as organized as schools of piranhas in a feeding frenzy."

Lorelei chuckled as she drew a card.

"Such fiery defense of your society," she said, "seeing as they kicked you out of it…"

She set a card, and a facedown card appeared in front of her.

"That… ought to do it..."

Taka made a draw. He looked at the Trap Card.

"Vajuranda, attack…" he started.

Lorelei lifted her hand, and her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Nightmare Wheel!" she shouted.

The cruel torture device fell from the ceiling and landed on Vajuranda's back. Taka's eyes narrowed.

"That'll hold him," she said.

Taka set the Trap Card in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Mmm," he said.

Lorelei made a draw. The Nightmare Wheel started to spin, and Taka held his chest in pain.

"I summon Darklord Lilith," said Lorelei.

The Darklord that appeared this time, seemed to be a temptress, just like Lorelei was. She had feathered wing, however, and was dressed differently, in a black, low-cut, thong leotard. (1,800 ATK)

"Not Superbia, move to Defense Mode!"

The larger Darklord simply crossed its arms, as well as it could with Handcuffs Dragon grappling it. (2,400 DEF)

"I'm finished…" she said.

**(T: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,300)**

Taka made a draw.

It was the Spell Card, Foolish Burial.

Taka looked at it for a minute and held his chin. He knew he could use this to summon his best Monster…

The only problem was, it would be unprepared for _her _best Monster; he had a suspicion he knew what it was.

He looked at the facedown card he had set last turn… One more card would let him pull off his ultimate strategy…

"Are you going to look at that card all day, or are you going to play it?" asked Lorelei.

"Neither," said Taka. "I'm going to pass this turn."

"Then I draw a card…" said Lorelei, making a draw.

"And you lose 500 Life Points from my Nightmare Wheel again!"

The wheel spun, and Taka grunted in pain again.

She smirked when she looked at what she had drawn. She quickly set it on her Disk, and a set card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"That's all," she said.

**(T: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,300)**

Taka made a draw.

"Hmm…" he said, looking at it.

"I activate Drop Off!" shouted Lorelei, as her facedown card shot up. "Drop it, Taka!"

Taka grinned evilly.

"Actually madam," he said, "and I use the term very loosely… It would be my pleasure…"

He discarded the card.

"For now I play Foolish Burial!" he exclaimed, playing the Spell Card. "I'll send another Monster to my grave…"

He took a card from his deck, and discarded it as well.

"So what now?" laughed Lorelei. "You've got nothing left except that Synchro that's tied down by my Nightmare Wheel!"

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions," said Taka. "That's the mistake that's frequently made by the beasts of Chaos you are descended from.

"The Monster you forced me to send to my Graveyard is a very powerful Dragunity, and it can be summoned from there by removing one of my Monsters from play, so long as it is Equipped with another Dragunity."

Lorelei froze. She realized that Dragunity Knight – Vajuranda was Equipped with Dragunity Brandistock.

"Thus, Vajuranda be gone…" said Taka.

The Dragon and its rider vanished into ripples of light. The Nightmare Wheel fell to the ground and shattered.

"Stand aside for the Lord of the Dragunities… I call forth Dragunity Arma Leyvaten!"

With a loud roar, a large Dragon landed in front of Taka with a crash. It was humanoid, unlike the other Dragons among the Dragunities, with orange scales that covered it like armor. It had large feathered wings on its back that were also orange, and a very long tail. It held a mighty steel sword which, strangely, it gripped underhanded. (2,600 ATK)

"Next, I use one of its effects," continued Taka. "When summoned, I can take any Dragon at all from my Graveyard, and Equip it to Leyvaten. Thus, I'll Equip it with the Monster I sent to my Graveyard with Foolish Burial."

Leyvaten's wings vanished, and were quickly replaced by dark wings that looked more like those of the classic Dragon.

"Now, another of its effects," continued Taka. "Although it is more than a match for any of your Monsters… It can attack directly, so long as I cut its Attack Points in half.

"And I'll do just that…"

Leyvaten's Attack Score fell to 1,300.

"Attack the wench directly!" he shouted. "Blade of the Eternal Grand Dragon!"

For the first time all duel, Lorelei felt fear, and it only intensified as the huge Dragon man flew towards her. Then she screamed as its sword made a slash across her torso, knocking her down and drawing blood.

**(T: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,000)**

"How… dare you?" she hissed, as she got up.

The wound quickly vanished, as her regeneration powers kicked in, but she was still furious.

"I end my turn…" said Taka. "Maybe you should play something better than the three scrubs you have out now…"

He looked at her.

_That's it… _he thought. _Get angry… Get very angry… And get careless too…_

Lorelei made a draw.

Then she laughed hysterically.

"I'll teach you to call my Monsters scrubs!" she shouted. "This Monster is Level 10, but I can summon it with one sacrifice, so long as that sacrifice is a Fairy.

"So, I'll get rid of Darklord Superbia and your accursed Handcuffs Dragon…"

Superbia turned into a pulsating globe of pure darkness.

"…to call to the field the embodiment of Greed! I summon Darklord Desire!"

There was a burst of pure darkness, and the most intimidating Darklord of them all appeared on the field. He was a full nine feet tall, dressed in black plate armor covered with gold designs and a helmet, with two gauntlets that resembled golden claws. His feathered wings were blood red. (3,000 ATK)

"Now I use his effect… By shaving 1,000 points off his Attack Score, I can send one of your Monsters to the Graveyard.

"Darklord Desire, get that thing out of my sight!"

Desire's eyes glowed with evil light as his Attack Score fell to 2,000. Dragunity Arma Leyvaten roared, and then shattered into pixels.

"Now you're defenseless!" shouted Lorelei.

"No I'm not," said Taka, calmly. "You did exactly what I was waiting for.

"By sending Leyvaten to the Graveyard, its final effect is activated, and the Monster that was Equipped to it is summoned to the field."

There was a roar even louder than the one that heralded the arrival of Leyvaten, and a _huge _Dragon, black as midnight, bigger and more intimidating than anything Lorelei had summoned, loomed over Taka. Her three Darklords looked at it in horror. (2,800 ATK)

"Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon?" screamed Lorelei. "How in the Abyss did you ever get a card that rare?"

"It was a gift from Mr. Fanciullo," replied Taka. "As a symbol of the alliance I made with him."

Now Lorelei was _really _scared.

_But I just have to last one more turn… _she thought. _And even if I lose, I can still take care of this dirty bird…_

Darklord Edeh Arae knelt and covered himself with his wings. (2,000 DEF) Darklord Lilith did the same. (800 DEF)

"Make your move…" she snarled.

"I draw!" shouted Taka.

"Then I use Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon's effect to Special Summon a Dragon from my Graveyard… Guess which one it is…"

Dragunity Arma Leyvaten appeared once again. It looked at the large Dragon next to it, and the two Dragons nodded to each other. (2,600 ATK)

"Next, I use Leyvaten's effect to Equip it with Dragunity Brandistock from my Graveyard…" he continued.

A blue gauntlet with a single spike on the knuckle covered Leyvaten's right hand.

"And due to Dragon Mastery, Leyvaten gains 500 Attack Points."

(3,100 ATK)

"Now, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, attack with infernal darkfire!"

The huge Dragon belched out a blast of violet fire at Darklord Desire. In a split second, the embodiment of Greed was no more.

**(T: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 2,200)**

"Attack me…" growled Lorelei. "I dare you… I'll still have Life Points left…"

Taka's Trap Card lifted up.

"Dragon's Rage?" she screamed.

"That's right," said Taka. "Now Leyvaten can deal damage by attacking Monsters that are in Defense Mode…

"And one other thing… Because it's Equipped with Dragunity Brandistock, it gets two attacks."

"This isn't happening…" said Lorelei, though her teeth. "I won't let myself be beaten…"

"You have no choice…" said Taka, as Leyvaten flew towards the two defending Darklords.

Two slashes of the mighty sword, and both Lilith and Edeh Arae were cut in half… Lorelei screamed…

**(T: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 0)**

Taka took a deep breath and looked at Lorelei as she sat on the floor, holding her head.

_Now what to do with her?_ he thought. _Not exactly trophy material…_

Lorelei struggled to her feet. Taka smirked.

_Shouldn't be hard now… _he thought, as he lifted his talons.

Then he realized something.

His amulet was quivering.

He stopped short, and looked at it. As he looked at it, the second ruby shattered.

"You lying whore!" he shouted. "The whole point of the duel was to distract me while you used a curse to destroy this and take my protection away?"

Lorelei grinned as she stood up. Her eyes glowed red. She nodded.

Taka looked at the amulet again. He didn't have much time. Its power was fading fast…

Then he did what Lorelei least expected. He leapt at her, and made a flying tackle, propelling them both out of the office.

Still, Lorelei was better at fighting than he expected. As she landed on her back, she kicked him off of her, and he flipped onto his feet.

Taka reached into his coat as she got up, ready to pounce. His hand closed around a small pouch…

Then he threw it at her, and it broke against her chest. A dusty, chalky substance covered her chest and arms.

She laughed.

"Nice try…" she said, "but poison doesn't work on me."

"It isn't poison, demon…" he replied. "It's a chemical derived from the pheromones of female birds of the Family Columbidae. A group that includes the common city-dwelling pigeon."

"What?" said Lorelei. "What in blazes…"

Then she stopped short.

She looked up.

The rafters of this factory must have had hundreds of pigeon nests in them…

"Pheromones…" she said. "Isn't that… The stuff that makes males and females of a species attracted to each other?"

Taka nodded.

"And you're covered with incredibly concentrated female pigeon pheromone," he said. "Right now, male pigeons find you as attractive as the latest _Sports Illustrated _swimsuit issue cover-model…"

Taka dodged aside as seemingly every pigeon in creation swarmed the cambion. She screamed and cursed with words that even a hardened mobster like Taka wouldn't use.

Taka considered fleeing, but he didn't forget why he came here. He rushed into the office, towards the safe. He didn't have time to crack the combination. He gripped the handle with his two taloned hands, and with a mighty tug, tore the door off. He knew he was setting off dozens of alarms, but that wasn't a concern right now.

Inside were dozens of large envelopes. He grabbed a handful, and rushed out of the office.

"As they say where I come from," he said to Lorelei, "sayonara!"

Lorelei's eyes glowed with rage.

"Oh no you _don't!" _she screamed, swatting the pigeons aside, briefly.

She pointed to Taka, and the crimelord was shocked as a bolt of flames hit him on the back. He fell down, dropping all but two of the envelopes.

Two was better than none. He quickly got up, and rushed out of the factory.

He looked around, and whistled loudly. The spell of invisibility he had cast on his limousine was dispelled, and his driver pulled up beside him.

"Get us out here, Jarvis!" he shouted, getting inside. "As fast as you can!"

"Is there a problem, boss?" asked the driver.

Then the factory exploded in flames from the inside.

"Does that answer your question?" asked Taka. "Move!"

The driver pushed the pedal to the floor, and the car sped down the street.

As the factory started to burn, Lorelei walked out, covered from head to toe in pigeon dirt.

She looked down. The two cats that used to be Taka's two henchmen were looking at her.

"What are you looking at?" she said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Evening turned to night, and night turned to early morning.

At the Shadowchasers penthouse, Karl, Nichole, and Ben were sleeping soundly through unsettling dreams, but Dugan had never gone to sleep. He had spent all night in the common room, watching the ever-burning fireplace.

He was supposed to be the strongest one, but the Grey Waste had even gotten to him. Memories of his deceased father had come back to him… Memories of every Shadowkind he had failed to save… Even memories of Squeakers, the golden retriever puppy that was given to him when he was four years old, that was his loyal companion until he was nineteen… How he had cried when his pet of fifteen years – very old for a dog – had to be euthanized…

So many depressing memories had resurfaced during his trip to the Grey Waste, and had made him depressed again. Planar travel was _not _something he wanted to do again anytime soon.

He wondered… Was this what Jalal went through on any given day?

"I figured you would be up," said Jalal's voice.

Dugan sighed, and turned to the fireplace as his boss's image appeared.

"Couldn't sleep," he said.

"I know the feeling," said Jalal. "Look, I've got the results of Ravel's autopsy right here…"

"And?" asked Dugan.

"The bullet was clearly laced with a Bane enchantment with hags in mind," replied Jalal. "And most likely, the rifle was too.

"The bullet was a 7.62x54mmR, the usual ammunition used by an assassin."

"So this guy was clearly a professional…" said Dugan. "But who hired him? Maybe a relative of one of Ravel's victims?"

"Well, that was the first thought," replied Jalal. "But so many things don't make sense.

"First of all, we didn't tell anyone that Ravel had escaped.

"Second, this assassin not only had access to Bane enchantments, he had access to planar travel.

"The strangest part is, he seemed to be familiar with Ravel's castle. He wasn't hindered by the teleport trap that gave you guys a hard time.

"I truly doubt that anyone related to any of Ravel's victims – those that we know about – could have hired this guy.

"I think there was something else… I think Ravel might have been killed to shut her up."

"Wait…" said Dugan. "The only information she might have had… Was information about Ben…"

"That's right," said Jalal. "We're trying to help Ben end his curse…

"But it appears someone else doesn't want us to."

They didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"I'll get back to you if I get any more information," said Jalal. "Take it easy for a while…"

He vanished.

Dugan sighed. He looked at the television.

He wondered if the morning news would be worth watching…

Then his cell phone on the coffee table rang.

"Hello?" he mumbled, picking it up.

Then he sat up straight.

"Taka?"

He listened.

"Really?" he asked. "A cambion?

"I see… Uh huh… Yeah, I guess I'm free for breakfast… Just give me time to shower…"

Dugan hung up. He still didn't like working for a crook like Taka… But it seemed that now, Taka was clearly the lesser of two evils in this city…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LIVING FOSSIL (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A cartoonish dinosaur dressed in a tuxedo and top hat holding a cane.

**Card Description: **Special Summon 1 Monster from your Graveyard and Equip it with this card. Reduce the Equipped Monster's ATK by 1,000 and negate its effect. If this card leaves the field, destroy the Equipped Monster.

_Note: "Living Fossil" first used by Misawa in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Duel Off (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ANGEL FALLEN INTO DARKNESS**** (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **An angel clutching his face in despair, his wings slowly turning from white to black.

**Card Description: **Send 1 Fairy-Type Monster on the field you control to the Graveyard. Special Summon 1 Level 7 or higher DARK Fairy-Type Monster from your hand.

_Note: "Angel Fallen into Darkness" was first used by Midori Hibiki in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARKLORD LILITH**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed by your opponent's card effect, you may Special Summon 1 DARK Fairy-Type Monster from your deck.

_Note: "Darklord Lilith" first appeared in the original "Shadowchasers."_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARKLORD MARTINET**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 400  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description: **When this card is removed from play, you may Special Summon it in Attack Position during your next Standby Phase. Each player may only use the effect of "Darklord Martinet" once per duel.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARKLORD BUNE**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **When this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, its ATK becomes 2,400.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DRAGUNITY BARRIER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Similar to Draining Shield, but with Dragunity Dux in Freed the Brave Wanderer's place, and Harpie Lady 1 in Giga Gagagigo's place.

**Card Description: **Activate when a Monster you control that is Equipped with 1 or more Dragon-Type Monsters is the target of an attack. For each Dragon-Type Monster Equipped to that Monster that you send to the Graveyard, you may prevent that Monster from being destroyed by battle that turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DRAGUNITY REJUVENATION (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **Dragunity Arms Laevatein kneeling and glowing with radiant energy.

**Card Description: **Activate only during an End Phase. For each Dragon-Type Monster being treated as an Equip Spell that was sent to the Graveyard this turn, draw one card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: I didn't want to be a Shadowchaser today. It's Sunday, the busiest day for St. Cuthbert's House, and I just wanted to go to the soup kitchen and help the folks who came in. **_

_**But now, someone has come causing trouble… Someone I remember, not too fondly. You might say she was my rival some time back; I guess it would have been foolish of me to believe that she'd never bother me again. **_

_**I have about an hour before this place opens… I have time to deal with her. The thing is… Something tells me she's hiding something…**_

"_**The Grudge; A Rival from a Painful Time" is next. **_


	27. The Grudge, A Rival from a Painful Time

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL TWENTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Grudge**

**A Rival from a Painful Time**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Slowly, the sun rose over the city.

Lorelei, now in human form, walked into a meeting room where Tiberius and Hape were waiting. She was still very angry.

"I've taken about ten showers and I still feel soiled," she grumbled. "I've never seen so much pigeon crap."

"Taka will get his, I assure you," replied Tiberius. "For now, I contacted the two locations keyed to the envelopes he escaped with. They are now on alert.

"And I suggest you get in a better mood fast. The Triad will be calling at noon, and they want to speak to all three of us."

"W… What do they want now?" asked Lorelei, nervously.

"Guess we're gonna find out…" said Hape.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The residents of the Hive had been uncaring at best about the old factory burning down. In their eyes, it and most of the other old places in the slum were better off demolished. They were only concerned about how long it would be before the police would leave the burned-out ruin so they could forage it for recyclable metal.

It was hard for the poverty-stricken to care about much… In this part of town, hopelessness hung in the air like a dark cloud…

But in one corner, there was a small beacon of hope. And it was Nichole's goal this morning, as the eight AM hour approached.

The Davidson Street chapter of St. Cuthbert's House was both a soup kitchen and a free clinic. It was Sunday, which was their busiest day for doling out free food. They started doing so at eleven, but Nichole always came early on Sundays. And after her trip to the Grey Waste, she needed something to keep her mind off the horrid experience.

She walked in, and saw an elderly man, about sixty years old, refilling the napkin dispensers. This was Dr. Frankins, the man who ran this place, and the one in charge of the clinical aspect. Refilling napkin dispensers may have seemed like an odd job for him, but here, everyone did everything.

Dr. Frankins had retired from his professional practice five years ago. He had something that most doctors in free clinics didn't have – divine spellcasting ability. He was far from the best, of course, but he could heal using magic when medicine wasn't enough. For a charity organization that couldn't afford the best equipment, that was often a tremendous benefit; for most standard divine spells, one didn't need anything more than a holy symbol, and if additional materials were needed, they could usually be found at the corner grocery store. (In a world where most people didn't believe in magic, you could find some very powerful stuff in the most unassuming places.)

He was a tall man, with brown hair, and a clean-shaven face that looked worn and slate grey. He always wore a formal shirt, slacks, and a tie, along with his doctor's jacket.

"Well, good morning," he said, when he saw Nichole. "Early again, I see…"

"Better early than late, as my mom always said," replied Nichole. "Doc, I got a surprise… Lord Dakkus was at Headquarters when I was there…"

She reached into the duffle bag she was carrying.

"You mean…" he said.

Nichole took out a hemp bag.

"…moonlight tears?" he asked.

"Fresh ones!" she replied, handing the bag to him. "He gave me these… They should last four months this time."

Moonlight tears were a fungus that could be made into dozens of medicinal remedies. If combined with other herbs, they could cure everything from insomnia to migraine headaches. The problem was, like truffles, they were incredibly hard to cultivate, and only fey and some elves knew the secrets to finding them.

"Now if only Lord Dakkus could tell us where he gets them from," replied Frankins.

"The elves have to keep some secrets to themselves, doc," said Nichole. "I'm gonna go see if Rosa needs help."

She walked through a door and into a kitchen, where the smell of vegetable soup filled the air. Rosa, the chef, was in charge here, helped by whoever came to volunteer. It seemed that Nichole was the first. Right now, the old woman was cutting up carrots.

"Hey, Rosa," she said, as she took an apron off the wall.

She looked at the pot of soup on the stove.

"I see we have pease porridge hot today instead of pease porridge cold."

"That's right," said Rosa. "And thanks to Offerings to Allanda, it isn't nine days old! I hear that fifteen more restaurants signed up in the past two weeks alone. We're doing just fine…"

"Good to hear…" said Nichole.

Offerings to Allanda was a splinter group of St. Cuthbert's House that had been started last year, named after St. Cuthbert's exarch who was revered as the goddess of suffering. (As in, the goddess that was prayed to when suffering was a problem.) The group was a food rescue organization, which collected leftover food from participating restaurants and markets that was still edible, but not sellable. The sad fact was that about forty percent of food in America was wasted, and food rescue organizations collected foodstuffs that would otherwise be thrown away, and distributed it to soup kitchens and similar charities.

Offerings to Allanda was not unique, of course; many cities had food rescues. But St. Cuthbert's House hoped to make theirs a national group within a few years.

It would still be three hours before customers showed up. Still, on any given Sunday, this place had to feed up to eight-hundred people or more. It was going to take a lot more soup…

Nichole went to wash her hands.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, the number of volunteers had grown by six, and everyone was busy. Nichole was peeling onions.

She paused for a minute. She grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes.

"Onions making you cry, Nichole?" asked Rosa. "Try peeling them underwater."

"Sounds like a good idea, Rosa," said Nichole, with a smile, "but I didn't bring my swimsuit."

"Like I've never heard _that _joke before," said Rosa with a sigh.

Dr. Frankins walked in.

"How's everything in here?" he asked. "If you need another hand…"

"We're good," said Nichole. "Just…"

Then her cell phone rang.

"One second…"

She looked at the number. She didn't recognize it.

"Hello?" she said, answering it.

"Hello, is this the Davidson Street St. Cuthbert's House?" asked a voice that sounded like a teenage girl's.

"Yes it is," said Nichole.

"I'd like to make a reservation for two for noon," said the voice. "Do you take Diner's Club?"

Nichole's eyebrows narrowed.

"Who is this?" she demanded. "Is this some sort of joke?"

"Please, Nichole," said the voice, "have you forgotten me already? I kinda feel hurt…"

Then it came to Nichole… She knew that voice.

"Roxy?" she said.

"That's right," said the voice. "I'm right across the street."

"Don't you dare come in here!" said Nichole, lowering her voice. "The people who come here have enough troubles without you to mock them…"

"Then _you _come out _here," _said the voice. "I want to have words with you one way or another…"

Nichole hung up the phone.

"Who was that Nichole?" asked Frankins.

"No-one you'd want to meet…" sighed Nichole. "She once said that in her opinion, the best way to solve the problem of poverty was…

"Well, let me put it this way… Ever hear of a movie called _Soylent Green?"_

"She couldn't have been serious!" said one of the other volunteers.

"I hoped that she wasn't…" sighed Nichole. "Doc, Rosa… I'll go take care of her… She'd be a nuisance if she came in here. But I promise I'll be back to help serve the customers."

Nichole ran for the door, grabbing her duffle bag on the way out.

Standing across the street was an elf – not a dark elf, but a true elf – about her age, dressed in a manner that the aforementioned Lord Dakkus would have scolded her for – and likely spanked her for as well. She was dressed in punk style, with leather pants, a jean jacket over a halter top, dark sunglasses, and a pink dyed streak in her blonde hair. She wore an earring with a rabbit's foot, and a belt with metal studs.

Nichole looked at Roxy… A low-ranking former member of the Blue Serpents, and her biggest rival before joining the Shadowchasers.

"Knew you'd come out," said Roxy, with a grin.

Nichole remembered Roxy well. At first, Roxy had tried to befriend her after Marc had been arrested, even going so far as to say she'd sponsor her for membership in the Serpents. But Nichole was turned off by the rebellious young elf, and the relations between them turned cold before turning into an outright rivalry.

The operation to take the Serpents out entirely was a complex operation, one that the Shadowchasers did with help of the DA, who was, as already stated, a close ally. Nichole would have loved to have taken down Sven personally, but she had another job. She was able to get into the Serpent's warehouse clubhouse easily, since her brother was once a member, and no-one knew at that point that she was a Shadowchaser, even the Aware members.

Roxy started teasing her when she saw her, and Nichole challenged her to a battle of Duel Monsters. Roxy quickly accepted, and everyone else in the common room crowded around to watch and place bets. A catfight was always fun to watch.

They didn't know that Nichole was trying to provide a distraction, and succeeding. As she was dueling Roxy, Dugan and the third member of the Chicago Shadowchasers (Karl wasn't a member yet) snuck into the back rooms, where Sven was talking to Vance over a video phone. Dugan wired the conversation to the DA, who obtained a warrant, who then gave the orders to a waiting squad of police officers who were ready to raid the place.

Nichole won the duel, but she didn't know what to do next. Fortunately, the squad arrived with sirens blazing, telling everyone to come out with their hands up. Sven tried to make a run for it out a secret exit known only to him, but Dugan caught up to him and made the arrest personally.

But as far as Roxy went, there was very little she could be charged with – being mean to people isn't a crime in itself. She had never been much more than a mascot for the more important Serpents, and a girlfriend for any member who needed one. For the few crimes they could make stick, she was given probation and released.

Nichole hadn't seen her since… Until now.

"So why are you here, Roxy?" asked Nichole. "I thought you'd have slithered under a rock after the Serpents disbanded."

"I'm with a new group now," said Roxy.

She took her sunglasses off.

"And I love it more than I ever loved being in the Serpents. I'm not just some squeeze toy for the male members of this group, and the benefits are outstanding."

"Benefits?" asked Nichole.

"Let me show you one benefit…" said Roxy.

She pulled her right arm out of the jean jacket, and held it up.

"What's missing here?" she asked.

It took Nichole a minute to realize it… The blue dragon tattoo that all the members of the Blue Serpents got – the one that Marc still had – was gone. And there was almost no scar. Clearly, Roxy had gone to a professional to have it removed and not some crime doctor.

"Cosmetic surgery isn't cheap," said Roxy, as she put the jean jacket back on. "And you'll never get health insurance to pay for it…

"But this new group I'm with? They foot the bill to get rid of that ugly thing. No strings attached."

All Nichole could do for a minute was just stare at Roxy. That was pretty hard to believe.

"So…" said Roxy.

She picked up a Duel Disk and slipped it over her arm.

"I came to see if you'd accept my challenge for a rematch… I still owe you."

"And I suppose if I say 'no', you'll keep bothering me until I say 'yes'?" asked Nichole.

"Uhm… yeah…" said Roxy.

"Oh, all right!" shouted Nichole. "I suppose I have time before eleven o'clock for a duel with you… But only to teach you a lesson and convince you to stop bothering me!"

"Fine," said Roxy. "Beat me, and I'll stop bothering you."

Nichole lifted her Duel Disk out of her duffle bag, and put it on.

_What Nichole doesn't know is, _thought Roxy, as she looked at her deck, _getting that tattoo removed is far from the only benefit of joining this new club…_

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Roxy: 8,000)**

"Oh, look Nichole!" said Roxy, as she made her first draw. "Seems we have an audience…"

Nichole looked around. They did. Several people, many of them women with children, had come to the soup kitchen to get in line early. But they had all recognized Nichole and come to see what was happening.

Nichole felt nervous… If this punk beat her, it would be beyond humiliating…

"I'll go first, kay?" said Roxy.

"I'll play a facedown, and then summon Howling Insect."

A reversed card appeared in front of her, and then a large, blue grasshopper followed. (1,200 ATK)

"And it's your move."

_What am I worried about? _thought Nichole. _She's playing the same Insect Deck that she used before… I beat it once, and I can beat it again…_

_And she's in for a rude awakening if she thinks she's going to pull the same trick she did last time with that Howling Insect…_

"I summon… Amazoness Trainee!" she shouted.

She threw a card on her Disk, and the young Amazon in a zebra-skin bikini holding a spiked chain appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"I know what your Monster can do, Roxy," said Nichole. "If it's destroyed in battle and sent to the Graveyard, you get to bring out another Insect.

"Well, it's not gonna happen! When my Trainee swats it, it won't go to the Graveyard, it'll go to the bottom of your deck!

"Attack!"

Trainee charged the large Insect, swinging her weapon above her head.

"I can't believe you fell for it!" laughed Roxy, as her facedown card lifted up. "I activate Mimic!"

"HUH?" said Nichole. "Mimic? What does that do?"

"It sends this Insect back to my hand," replied Roxy, as Howling Insect vanished, "and lets me swap it for another one…

"Like my Parasite Caterpillar! Defense Mode!"

In a flash of energy, a small green caterpillar with blue spots on its side appeared where Howling Insect had been. (800 DEF)

"And there's more…" continued Roxy. "Your Monster now has no choice but to attack it."

"She'll still send it to the bottom of your deck," said Nichole.

Trainee swung her weapon at the Caterpillar.

"Wrong," said Roxy. "It's not going to my deck OR to the Graveyard. It's going right THERE!"

She pointed to Amazoness Trainee, and as she did, Parasite Caterpillar leapt onto the Warrior's chest…

"Huh…" said Nichole.

Trainee's eyes glazed over. She dropped her weapon and fell to her knees…

Then, to Nichole's horror, the Caterpillar started spinning strands of silk around itself and Amazoness Trainee.

"What's going on, Roxy?" demanded Nichole.

"A caterpillar undergoes a process called metamorphosis at a certain time in its life," said Roxy. "It spins a cocoon and becomes a chrysalis…"

"…and then a butterfly, I know!" interrupted Nichole. "What is your Monster doing to my Amazon?"

"Parasite Caterpillar is a _parasite, _Nichole," replied Roxy. "It needs a living host to undergo metamorphosis."

Nichole looked at Trainee, who was now completely encased in a cocoon.

"In game terms, because your Monster attacked it, Parasite Caterpillar is Equipped to her like an Equip Spell. She can't attack and you can't sacrifice her so long as that's the case.

"So… Anything else?"

Nichole glared at Roxy.

_Well, maybe her deck has changed a little… _she thought.

"I end my turn…" she said.

Roxy made a draw.

"I summon Neo Bug!" she laughed.

A large Insect with a scorpion-like tail and pincers appeared in front of her. (1,800 ATK)

"Forgot to mention…" she said. "In addition to not being able to attack, your Trainee can't _be _attacked."

"But…" said Nichole. "Does… Does that mean…"

"Afraid it does!" laughed Roxy. "Neo Bug, attack Nichole directly!"

Nichole grunted in pain as Neo Bug's stinger stabbed into her chest.

_Didn't expect that… _she thought.

"I'll set this," said Roxy, as a facedown card appeared, "and that's all for me."

**(N: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 8,000)**

"All right, Roxy, I'm drawing," said Nichole.

"You remember my Amazoness Swords Woman, right?"

Swords Woman leapt onto the field with a war cry, holding her mighty blade. (1,500 ATK)

"Next I play… Amazoness Fighting Spirit!"

She played the card, and the Continuous Spell Card rose up behind Swords Woman.

"This gives my Amazons a boost when they attack Monsters that are stronger than they are.

"Attack! Squash her Neo Bug!"

Swords Woman lifted her sword, her Attack Score rising to 2,500. She struck once, cutting the big bug cleanly in half.

"Ugh…" said Roxy.

Then she grinned.

"Thank you…" she said, as her facedown card lifted up. "I activate Soul Rope!

"I give up 1,000 Life Points, and I get to summon a Level 4 Monster from my deck.

"Like my Insect Knight!"

There was a loud buzz, and the same humanoid mantis that Micro Green had used flew onto the field. (1,900 ATK)

Nichole sighed.

"I end my turn…" she said with a growl.

**(N: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,300)**

Roxy made a draw.

"I summon Pheromone Wasp!" she laughed.

She played the card, and an Insect appeared that was certainly a wasp. Its abdomen was a bit longer, sort of like a tail, but it was nonetheless a wasp. (800 ATK)

_Okay… _thought Nichole. _Her theme may be the same… But she clearly has a few new tricks…_

"Pheromone Wasp isn't very strong," continued Roxy, "but it has a useful ability.

"First thing's first, however… Insect Knight, cut down her Swords Woman!"

Insect Knight flew at Swords Woman, and the two swords clashed. The Swords Woman's blade flew from her hand, and the mantis Warrior ran her through.

She fell to her knees, and then shattered.

"Of course, I lose 400 Life Points due to her effect," said Roxy, "but my Wasp has a clear shot at you!"

Nichole braced herself as Pheromone Wasp flew at her, and delivered a jabbing sting between her shoulder blades.

"Ow…" she said.

"Now I use my Wasp's effect," said Roxy. "When it attacks directly, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Insect from my deck at the end of the Battle Phase.

"So here comes my Arsenal Bug!"

There was a drone of wings, and a strange Insect that looked like a decorated shield with wasp's wings and two claws in front, holding a sword and a spiked mace, flew onto the field. (2,000 ATK)

"And that's it for my turn…"

**(N: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 5,900)**

Nichole looked at Roxy for a minute or two.

"What's the matter, Nichole?" asked Roxy. "Speechless?"

"Oh, I have lots to say…" said Nichole, "but I can't say any of it, because there are kids watching… I wouldn't want to increase the chances that they'd grow up like you…"

"Like what? A punk?" asked Roxy. "You think I was exposed to abusive parents, poor education, and heavy metal music when I was younger? Do you think that's why I'm bad and I like it?

"I got news for you, Nichole… I chose this path on my own, and just like St. Cuthbert changed you, it was a personal miracle that made me choose it."

"I don't understand…" said Nichole.

"Then I'll tell you," said Roxy. "I didn't grow up in the slums, or on the wrong side of the tracks. Quite the opposite. I used to live in the suburbs, Nichole… A nice house, middle class parents…

"My dad was an accountant for some big company in the city… I'm not even sure what they did. I think they made soap. My mom was a dental hygienist. She spent all day poking around in peoples' mouths. I was a plump young adolescent with mousy-blah hair who wanted nothing. In short, my life was the picture-perfect snapshot of the classic suburban family, and anyone who didn't know we were Shadowkind wouldn't see us as any differently. That's how my dad liked it. It was a content life... But rather boring.

"One day, I was in the backyard weeding a vegetable garden I had planted… My hobby at the time. Some kids next door were playing wiffle-ball, when one of them hit a _long _one, and knocked down a hornet's nest in a tree nearby. My dad had kept saying he was going to call someone to spray that nest… He was such a procrastinator.

"I was swarmed by the hornets… I still remember the agonizing pain from the hundreds of stings. I was unconscious in the hospital for two days, my skin covered with welts…

"But I recovered quickly, and my life was never the same again…

"Soon after, I lost weight… I gained curves. My acne went away, and so did my split ends. After six months, the plain-looking girl I had once been had turned into a teenager that the whole school was drooling over.

"I became more athletic too. I joined the school gymnastic team, and quickly became the captain of it!

"And most importantly, I gained a great deal of confidence and self-esteem. I felt like I was meant for great things.

"One day, I went into a card store, and bought a single pack of Duel Monsters cards. I opened it, and there she was… Insect Queen! I realized the truth… Those wasps saved me. Their attack made me more of a woman than I could have ever been had I stayed at that suburban house. They made me realize I could be much more than a boring accountant like my father."

"So…" said Nichole. "With your new-found sense of self-confidence you decided you would become bad to the bone? Join a gang and do unspeakable things?"

"You ever read Robert Frost?" asked Roxy.

"Uh, yeah…" said Nichole. "In school…"

"One poem that stands out in my mind is 'The Road Not Taken'," replied Roxy. "In it, Frost says how taking the lesser-used path made all the difference. Up to that point, I had _never _taken the lesser-used path. I had always gone for the path of least resistance. But now I wanted to try something more daring… Something to set me apart from others."

"I see…" said Nichole. "You wanted to be a nonconformist… Well, that can be dangerous sometimes… Just as dangerous as misinterpreting a poem that you base your whole life on."

"Huh?" said Roxy.

"I'll tell you later," said Nichole. "It's my move."

She drew a card.

"I summon Amazoness Fighter," she said.

She played the card, and the muscular Amazon leapt onto the field. (1,500 ATK)

"I've always wondered about her," said Roxy. "Was she always a dame? I mean, you have to wonder…"

Fighter looked at Roxy with a _very _annoyed expression…

"Don't forget…" said Nichole, "Amazoness Fighting Spirit gives an Amazon a 1,000-point boost whenever she fights a Monster that's stronger than she is.

"Which means she can crush your Insect Knight like a fly."

Fighter leapt at Insect Knight, her Attack Score rising to 2,500 right before she drop-kicked it in the chest. The Insect let out a squeal and flew backwards before it shattered.

The people watching started cheering. Nichole looked at Roxy with a smug smile.

"This is my ballpark, Roxy," she said, as she fit a card into her Disk. "I have home court advantage."

A facedown card appeared behind Amazoness Fighter.

"That's it for my turn…"

**(N: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 5,300)**

"I'll show you…" said Roxy, making a draw. "Arsenal Bug, slice and dice her Amazoness Fighter!"

The armed-to-the-teeth Insect flew towards the Warrior…

"I activate… Shrink!" shouted Nichole, as her facedown Spell Card lifted up.

Arsenal Bug fell to an Attack Score of 1,000. Fighter punched it, and it burst into bug guts.

"ERGH!" grunted Roxy, as she took a step backwards.

As she did, Nichole finally noticed something she was wearing that she was trying to hide under her halter top… The blow had shaken it, and it was now hanging from her neck.

"The Obex of Darkness…" gasped Nichole. "Roxy… The 'new group' you've joined is the Cult of Tharizdun?"

"Good grief, Nichole!" said Roxy, in shock. "Even I haven't called him by his true name yet!"

"Roxy, this is crazy!" shouted Nichole. "Being rebellious is one thing, but allying yourself to the ultimate evil?"

"Hey…" said Roxy. "At least it gives me something to do…

"I move Pheromone Wasp to Defense Mode…"

The Wasp landed, and folded its wings. (800 DEF)

"Then I set a Monster…"

A hidden Monster appeared.

"Then I play the Continuous Spell Card, Insect Barrier."

She fit the card in her Disk, and the Spell Card materialized.

"My turn is over."

**(N: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,800)**

_Insect Barrier? _thought Nichole as she made a draw. _You usually use that with DNA Surgery… But… She has no facedown cards…_

"Oh, Nichole?" said Roxy, sweetly. "It's been exactly three of your Standby Phases since my Parasite Caterpillar was Equipped to your Amazoness Trainee…"

Nichole stopped short. She looked at the cocoon which held Trainee. It was shaking… Something was trying to get out.

"That means your Trainee is gone," continued Roxy. "She's been consumed to complete the metamorphosis…"

A huge creature burst out of the cocoon. It looked like a giant, white moth with grey designs on its wings.

"Say hello to Poison Butterfly!" laughed Roxy.

(2,700 ATK)

Nichole looked at it in disgust. All the butterflies she had seen were colorful and vibrant. This was pretty ugly.

"What's wrong?" asked Roxy. "Aren't you glad to get a Monster with 2,700 Attack Points?

"Of course… So long as my Insect Barrier is in play, you can't do much with it…"

"Yeah?" asked Nichole. "Well, I got news for you…"

She played a card, and Amazoness Paladin appeared next to fighter. (1,700 ATK) –) (1,900 ATK)

"…my Amazons aren't Insects. Fighter, squish that Pheromone Wasp!"

Fighter stomped down on the small Insect, crushing it with her boot.

"Now my Paladin attacks your other Monster," continued Nichole, as Paladin lifted her sword. "Go! Pride of Themyscira!"

Paladin struck a pose, and then charged at the hidden Monster…

Howling Insect appeared on it briefly, before Paladin's sword cut it in half. Roxy grinned.

"You didn't forget I had that in my hand, did you?" asked Roxy.

"Of course I didn't!" snapped Nichole.

She sighed.

_Actually, I did, _she thought. _But I'm not telling her that…_

"Now, due to Howling Insect's effect," said Roxy, "I Special Summon an Insect from my deck with 1,500 or lower Attack Points…

"I think Pinch Hopper will do…"

Another grasshopper, this one green, appeared in front of Roxy. (1,000 ATK)

_Wonderful, _thought Nichole. _If I destroy Pinch Hopper, Roxy will be able to Special Summon almost any Insect at all. I have to do something fast…_

She looked at the three cards she had left, Pot of Avarice, Scapegoat, and Master Magician's Incantation.

_And nothing here can help me now…_

"I end my turn…" she said.

Then she was startled as Poison Butterfly shook its wings, showering her with pollen. She coughed and choked.

"What the?" she shouted.

"Poison Butterfly," said Roxy. "It's poisonous, get it? It will cost you 500 Life Points during each of your End Phases. Not quite as lethal as Lava Golem… Just much sneakier…"

_She's got that right… _thought Nichole.

**(N: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,800)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the upscale area of Chicago known as the Loop, a small coffee house stood among the skyscrapers. Dugan walked in, and looked around.

He saw Taka sitting at a table, wearing dark glasses with his collar turned up. Dugan guessed that several other customers in the place were members of his gang in disguise.

Dugan sat down at the table.

"So, this cambion challenged you to a duel with the intention to trick you?" he asked.

"She knew I was protected by magic," replied Taka. "So she used some sort of magical sabotage, and then appealed to my… paranoia to convince me to accept the duel. Fortunately, I had a few tricks up my sleeve.

"I should have realized that demons could not be trusted.

"I now have reason to believe that there is a mole in my organization… And once I find who it is, he will be very, very sorry.

"But onto the matter at hand."

He set the two envelopes on the table.

"I checked them out before you came," he said, as Dugan opened one of them. "Neither pertains to this amnesiac you mentioned, but I believe they have something to do with the cult of the Dark God that this cambion belonged to."

"Don't jump to conclusions," said Dugan. "I wouldn't be surprised if the two matters were connected somehow at this point."

"One is a letter to someone named Scath who lives somewhere near Lake Okeechobee," said Taka. "It promises a delivery of some sort. The other one is a work permit for a structure in Montreal, overseen by someone named Nasquet. It's dated two years ago, so whatever was built is likely complete. Both of them are signed by someone named Azathoth."

"Yes…" said Dugan, looking over one of them. "Azathoth seems to be the pseudonym of whoever's in charge of this evil cult. He was directing the Dark Suns…

"And they aren't around anymore… According to the police docket, shortly after we dealt with two of their members, someone torched their clubhouse with the rest of them inside it."

"Brutal," said Taka. "Something like that does sound like the work of the followers of the Chained God… Their cruelty and madness are infamous even among the Yokai…"

"I'll make some phone calls," said Dugan. "If this evil sorceress wanted these places protected, it's a sure bet something suspicious is there. We can get some search warrants, and get some people to check these two places out…

"In fact… Florida is Edgar's home turf… He can handle that one personally…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Roxy made her draw, and looked over her hand of three cards.

She played one, and the Pot of Avarice appeared in front of her. She took Arsenal Bug, Howling Insect, Insect Knight, Neo Bug, and Pheromone Wasp, and shuffled them into her deck. She made two draws.

"All right, Nichole," said Roxy, as she played a Spell Card, "I'm playing Multiplication of Ants.

"I'll sacrifice my Pinch Hopper…"

Pinch Hopper turned into an orb of energy…

"…and conjure up two Army Ant Tokens in return."

The orb burst, and two large green ants appeared where it had been. (1,200 DEF x2)

"And due to Pinch Hopper's effect, I can now summon my star… Here she is…"

She played the card, and a large shadow crept over the field. Nichole took a step backwards.

"All hail her royal majesty!" exclaimed Roxy, as the huge creature started to take shape. "The mighty Insect Queen!"

The monarch of Insects loomed all over the field. Nichole definitely remembered this from her last duel… A spider-like creature (despite the fact that its six legs, wings, and three body segments identified it as an actual insect, not an arachnid) with a thorax and head that vaguely resembled the torso and face of a human female, its front legs resembling arms with nasty claws. (2,200 ATK)

"Remember Insect Queen, Nichole?" asked Roxy. "She seems to remember you…"

Insect Queen roared, and a small child watching screamed and ran to his mother.

"It's okay, baby," said the mother. "It can't hurt you…"

"I was trying very hard to forget…" said Nichole, sarcastically.

"I'm sure you also remember her effect," continued Roxy. "She gains 200 Attack Points for each Insect on the field, and I count four."

(3,000 ATK)

Insect Queen grabbed one of the Army Ant Tokens, and started eating it.

"Unfortunately," said Roxy, "she has to sate her hunger before she throws down…"

(2,800 ATK)

"Now, destroy Amazoness Paladin!" she shouted. "Queen's Hell Breath!"

Insect Queen roared again, and blasted a stream of energy mixed with venom from her mouth, literally liquefying Paladin. Paladin's sword fell to the ground with smoke rising from it.

"Ow…" said Nichole.

"And since she crushed one of your Monsters, I get this…" continued Roxy.

Insect Queen squatted, and produced an egg from her abdomen. (100 ATK) Her Attack Score rose back to 3,000.

"I'll set this," said Roxy, as a facedown card appeared behind Insect Queen, "and my turn is over."

**(N: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 4,800)**

_She tried this in our last duel, _thought Nichole, as she made a draw. _Her set card was nothing more than a bluff then, and it's obviously a bluff now. _

_Hmm… 3,000 Attack Points… Fighter can't defeat it even with the boost from Fighting Spirit… However…_

"Fighter, smash that egg!" she ordered.

"Eh?" said Roxy.

Fighter ran up to the Insect Token, and crushed it with her boot. The impact hit Roxy hard, knocking her over.

"Fool me once, shame on you," said Nichole. "Fool me twice, shame on me."

"Oh, I'm so smart!" mocked Roxy. "Are you done?"

Nichole set a card, and a set card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"Yeah, I'm done," she said.

"That means you get another dose of pollen from Poison Butterfly!" laughed Roxy.

Nichole grunted as the big Butterfly shook its toxic pollen all over her.

**(N: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 3,400)**

"It's my move…" said Roxy, as she made a draw.

"And since you weren't fooled by this Trap, I'll use it now…"

Her set card lifted up.

"It's called Pact of Power, and I can use it because we both have a Monster that's at least Level 7. We both get to draw twice."

Nichole shrugged. She made two draws as Roxy made two of her own.

_The card Mr. Tiberius gave me! _thought Roxy. _This duel is as good as mine…_

"First thing I'm gonna do," she said, as a Continuous Spell Card appeared next to Insect Barrier, "is play Executive Privileges. With this card in play, you can't attack my highest-Level Monster, so long as I have two of the same Type.

"Now, I pay 1,000 Life Points to Equip Insect Queen with the Poison Barbs of Obox-Ob!"

She played the card, and a pair of nasty mandibles appeared on either side of Insect Queen's jaws.

"Other than cosmetically, I don't see any difference," said Nichole.

"You'll see one soon," replied Roxy.

Insect Queen grabbed the other Army Ant Token, and started stuffing it into her jaws. (2,600 ATK)

"Insect Queen, attack!" shouted Roxy. "Queen's Hell Breath!"

Insect Queen exhaled her lethal venom blast, eradicating Amazoness Fighter.

"And I take no damage," replied Nichole.

Insect Queen squatted and produced another egg. (100 ATK)

"Not yet, but you will," replied Roxy. "Take a look at your deck…"

Nichole looked down at her Duel Disk, and to her shock, her deck was surrounded by a sickly green smoking aura.

"What have you done?" she shouted.

"By destroying your Monster while Equipped with this card, Insect Queen has tainted your deck with lethal poison," said Roxy.

"It will last for four of your turns, one for each Level that Amazoness Fighter had. During that time, if you draw a Monster that matches her Type, it will be destroyed, and you'll take 800 points of damage!"

"No fair!" shouted someone who was watching.

"That's the whole point!" laughed Roxy.

She played another Spell Card.

"See this?" she said to Nichole. "It's my second Multiplication of Ants. I'll get rid of this nearly powerless Token that's in Attack Mode…"

The Insect Token vanished.

"To gain two more useful ones in Defense Mode."

Two more Army Ant Tokens materialized next to Insect Queen. (1,200 DEF x2)

"Now, Insect Queen is just as strong as she was before…"

(3,000 ATK)

"My turn is over… Go on… draw…"

**(N: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 2,400)**

Nichole looked nervously at her deck…

She made a draw.

"Crap…" she said, looking at it.

The card shattered, and she held her stomach as a wave of nausea hit it.

She looked around. The crowd had grown considerably since she had last checked. Even Dr. Frankins and Rosa were watching now…

If she lost, this would be the most humiliating duel of her life…

She looked at her hand.

_I have enough in my Graveyard to use Pot of Avarice now… _she thought. _But… If both the cards I drew were Monsters, I'd lose them and 1,600 Life Points… Plus another 500 from this stupid Butterfly when my turn ended…_

Her hand slowly moved towards the Scapegoat card.

_NO! _she thought, changing her mind. _If I use that, I'll have no free Monster Zone spaces. Roxy would have to do nothing but wait until her two poisons finished me off…_

She quickly took a card and fit it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared in her Spell Zone, next to the other one.

"End!" she shouted.

She grunted as Poison Butterfly showered her with Pollen again.

**(N: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 2,400)**

Roxy chuckled as she made a draw.

"Well, Nichole…" she said, "as fun as it was seeing you suffer the effects of that Butterfly… It's time I ended this… It's time I put you out of your misery…"

"Come on out, my Cross-Sword Beetle!"

With a loud shriek, a very large beetle rose up onto the field, a nasty bug with two large sets of mandibles. (1,800 ATK) Insect Queen's Attack Score rose to 3,200.

"I'm not through!" she laughed.

She took Parasite Caterpillar and Pinch Hopper from her discard slot, and put them in a pocket inside her jean jacket.

_Removing two Insects from play? _thought Nichole. _Ho boy… Like _this _is a surprise…_

With a loud bellow, the monstrous form of Doom Dozer loomed over the field. (2,800 ATK)

Then Insect Queen seized one of the Army Ant Tokens and started gnawing on it.

"Once she pulverizes that Butterfly," chuckled Roxy, "Doom Dozer will have a clear shot at you!"

"Not this round!" shouted Nichole.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"Threatening Roar!"

Roxy looked at Nichole in rage.

_She tricked me into using that Token for nothing! _she thought. _Oh well… Her deck is still poisoned for three more rounds…_

"It's your move!" she shouted.

Nichole drew a card.

"Hmm…" she said, as she looked at it.

"Well, Nichole?" asked Roxy. "Don't keep me waiting…"

"It's not a Monster, Roxy…" said Nichole.

She turned the card forward.

"It's a way to get one."

"Reinforcement of the Army?" shouted Roxy.

"A benefit when you're playing Warriors," replied Nichole, as she played the card, "and a good way around poisons and viruses."

A card slipped out of her deck.

"Now, I summon the Amazon that will lead to your defeat! I summon Amazoness Sage!"

With a loud cry, Sage leapt onto the field, swinging her quarterstaff. (1,400 ATK)

Nichole's other facedown card lifted up, revealing Call of the Haunted. Amazoness Paladin burst out of the ground, sword-first. (1,700 ATK) – (1,900 ATK)

"Sage, destroy the last Army Ant Token!" she shouted.

Sage brought her staff down on the small Insect, crushing it flat.

"When Sage makes an Attack," said Nichole, "she gets to destroy one Spell or Trap Card. So I hope you weren't too attached to that Insect Barrier."

Sage blasted a bolt of energy from her staff, blowing the Continuous Spell to bits.

"Poison Butterfly, attack the Cross-Sword Beetle with venom whirlwind!"

Cheers erupted from Nichole's supporters as the big Butterfly let loose a furious wind of toxic pollen at the big Beetle, blowing it to shards. Insect Queen's Attack Score fell to 2,800.

"And guess what, Roxy?" continued Nichole. "Because Doom Dozer is a higher Level than Insect Queen, Insect Queen is no longer protected by your Executive Privileges card. Doom Dozer is."

Paladin lifted her sword.

"That means Insect Queen is fair game, and thanks to Amazoness Fighting Spirit, Paladin is just strong enough to take her down.

"Attack! Slay that beast! Pride of Themyscira!"

Paladin made a great leap, her Attack Score shooting up to 2,900. She landed on the vile Insect monarch's back, stabbing her sword downward as she did. The Insect Queen made a great shriek…

Cheers erupted from Nichole's side of the field as the Insect Queen collapsed, and then shattered into pixels.

"I throw two cards facedown, and end my turn," said Nichole, as two set cards appeared in her Spell Zone.

"You may have been able to attack with that Butterfly," said a now-furious Roxy, "but you still take damage from its pollen at the end of your turn!"

Nichole closed her eyes as the Insect showered her with its residue once again.

**(N: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 1,400)**

"My move!" shouted Roxy.

She made a draw.

"I use the other effect of Executive Privileges!" she shouted. "If I get rid of it during my Standby Phase while I control a Level 7 or higher Monster, I gain 1,000 Life Points.

"That Monster will be destroyed at the end of this turn, but I won't need it anymore!"

The Spell Card shattered, and Roxy glowed with energy.

"Attack! Devour Amazoness Sage!"

Doom Dozer roared. It lunged at the female Warrior…

"I activate… My Spell Card!" shouted Nichole.

One of her facedown cards lifted up.

"Master Magician's Incantation?" said Roxy, with a quizzical look.

"It lets me activate a Normal Spell this round as if it were a Quickplay," replied Nichole.

"Wait…" said Roxy, with her eyes opening wide. "That means your other facedown card must be…"

Nichole's other Spell Card lifted up.

"Amazoness Spellcaster!" exclaimed Nichole. "Which means the Attack Scores of our two Monsters switch, right in time for Sage to meet the attack!"

Sage's Attack Score shot up to 2,800, while Doom Dozer's fell to 1,400. Sage smacked the huge centipede with her staff, and the beast crashed to the ground as the crowd cheered.

**(N: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 1,000)**

"You're lucky you got rid of that Executive Privileges," said Nichole. "But you're still gonna lose… Unless that last card you have is something that can hold off the attack of a Monster with 2,700 Attack Points…"

Roxy laughed…

"Oh, but it is!" she cackled, throwing it into her Disk.

"I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

Nichole and her two Amazons stepped backwards as a cage of glowing energy swords crashed down around her.

"Not the Swords!" she gasped.

"That's right!" laughed Roxy. "Now you can't attack for three turns… You know what that means…"

_Yeah, I know what it means… _thought Nichole. _In three rounds, Poison Butterfly's pollen will bring my Life Points down to only 200…_

_And if I draw even one Warrior during the two more rounds that it will take for the poison lacing my deck to wear off, I'll lose the duel in two rounds…_

The only cards she had in her hand now were Scapegoat and Pot of Avarice… One of them she couldn't use, and the other was now riskier that before…

She closed her eyes… She made a draw.

She looked at it.

"Well, Nichole?" asked Roxy, in a mocking tone. "Did you get the card you needed?"

Nichole grinned. She turned the card around.

The Warrior Returning Alive.

"Big deal!" laughed Roxy. "I have a sharp memory. There are no Monsters in your Graveyard that can destroy these Swords."

Nichole played the card.

"But there is one that can defeat you without me having to attack at all," she replied. "She's the one that was destroyed on my draw right after you attacked with the Poisoned Barbs of Obox-Ob…

"And here she is…"

Nichole played the card, and Amazoness Archer appeared on the field. (1,400 ATK)

"You see, Roxy," she continued, "by sacrificing two Monsters, Archer can dish out 1,200 points of damage, and that's all I need."

Poison Butterfly and Amazoness Sage vanished, and Archer pulled back her bow. A silver arrow appeared in it.

"Wait…" said Roxy. "NO! This isn't supposed to happen!"

She couldn't stop it. The arrow flew, striking her in the chest. She toppled over.

**(N: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 0)**

The holograms vanished, and everyone looked at Roxy.

"The poem 'The Road Not Taken' actually had an ironic meaning, Roxy," said Nichole. "In the second and third stanzas, the speaker admits that both paths were _equally _worn and leaf-covered, and only in his future recollection can he _call _the road he took 'less traveled'. The true meaning of the poem is about personal myth-making and rationalizing your decisions. And your rationale for joining the Serpents was pretty hard to swallow."

"Well?" said a teenager to Nichole. "Aren't you gonna arrest her? You're some sort of cop, aren't you?"

Nichole sighed nervously…

"Arrest me?" said Roxy, getting up. "For what?"

She twirled the Obex of Darkness on its chain.

"Freedom of religion still exists in this country, doesn't it?"

Nichole knew that Roxy was right. But she wasn't going to let this go unchallenged.

"Get lost _now, _Roxy," she said. "If I made the rules, I would arrest you simply for wearing that outfit, but unfortunately, I don't.

"Don't come back here. You don't want us delving into your life more than necessary."

"Hey!" shouted the same teenager, as Roxy turned to leave.

"Marcus, please…" said Nichole.

"If you think we're gonna let you leave after you were so mean to Nichole…" said Marcus, as he and two others started to step towards Roxy.

"Step away from Roxy, little man," said a sinister voice, "or you'll regret it for the rest of your very short life…"

That's when everyone noticed two figures that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Two short (about five-foot-two) men wearing cloaks, hoods, and sunglasses. Roxy smirked, and backed up towards them.

Marcus pulled a switchblade knife out of his jacket.

"Marcus!" shouted Nichole.

"Nichole?" said Marcus.

"Thanks for the support, Marcus," said Nichole, "but what you're about to do is like taking a knife to a gunfight, only _much _worse."

Only Nichole, Dr. Frankins, and perhaps some of the other members of St. Cuthbert's House who were watching could see that the cloaked men were troglodytes, a species of reptilian Shadowkind similar to lizard men, but shorter. Troglodytes as a race had no gods of their own, most of them choosing to worship nature itself the way some pagan religions did. However, troglodytes who had gone bad were notorious for becoming worshippers of the Earth aspect of the Elder Elemental Eye, and while their divine spellcasters were few in number, the ones that existed were _very _powerful.

Everyone watched as Roxy and the two troglodytes walked off and out of sight.

Nichole walked back towards the building.

"Sorry about all the trouble," she said to Dr. Frankins.

Frankins looked where the punker chick had gone.

"We all have to make a decision when we start down the road of life," he mused. "Some folks choose the straight and narrow… It's the easy and safe route, but it leads to obscurity.

"Others, like you, choose the winding path… It's harder, and often more dangerous, but it leads to rewards, and those who choose it leave their mark upon the world.

"And then there are those like Roxy… They find roads that offer easy paths that promise to lead towards glory… But more often than not, they are nothing more than dead ends…"

He spoke up.

"We'll be open in forty-five minutes people! Start forming two lines."

He and Nichole went inside.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Tiberius, Lorelei, and Hape were in the room where they were waiting for the Triad to contact them.

Slowly, the viewing globe appeared, and the three leaders of the cult appeared in it.

"All things are moving along as planned," said the First.

"_However," _said the Second, _"steps must be taken for a major part of our plan… Mr. Hape, you say you know where Lareth the Beautiful is?"_

"I do," replied Hape.

"Then you will lead Tiberius and Lorelei to him," said the Third. "He must be brought back to the mortal world if our plans are to have any chance of success."

"Begging the Triad's pardon," said Hape, "but Lareth's sanity will likely have degenerated after spending so much time alone. He might not come willingly."

"Then you three must persuade him or force him," replied the First. "Do what you must, but bring him back to this plane."

They vanished.

"You heard them," said Tiberius. "Nulb was most likely turned into a demiplane of some sort in the Deep Ethereal that Lareth is unable to leave…"

"That's exactly what happened," said Hape. "The place is easy to find, so long as no-one in the group trying to find it wears any symbol of Tharizdun. No amulets, vestments, or anything at all that would signify that they worship the Dark God. If someone wears them, he has no chance to find the place. The clergy of St. Cuthbert thought it was the best way to keep you from finding it."

It was a story known only to a selected few… Both the followers of the Dark God and the faithful of St. Cuthbert kept quiet about it.

The island nation of Haiti is considered to be one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Most of the people live in poverty. When a rich foreigner decides to buy land there, most regard him with envy... Unless he comes with offers of employment.

Such it was with Lareth the Beautiful, the Champion of Elemental Evil. He came twenty years ago, and bought a large spread of land that no-one had wanted. It was half rocks and half tree stumps, not the best farming land. He sent word out that he was looking for carpenters, masons, and other construction workers, as well as servants, and would pay generously. He was going to build a town of his own.

The local populace soon found it was no bluff – the salary he was offering for a maid was more than what the chief of police for Port-au-Prince got. People flocked to his side, and they started to build. They dug up the tree stumps and piled the rocks into walls. The buildings started to take shape, and Nulb, as he called it, started to form.

No-one knew at this point that Lareth was actually a representative of the cult of Tharizdun, and a powerful divine spellcaster. His goal was to make Nulb into a stronghold that would equal, or possibly even eventually surpass Shadowchaser Headquarters in size and might. Before doing so, he hoped to gain enough influence to overthrow Haiti's weak government, turning it into a theocracy dedicated to his Dark God. A whole nation under their command, even a small one, would give the Doomdreamers several benefits – a seat on the UN assembly for one, and possibly alliances with other nations. With such power, it was conceivable that they could openly challenge the Shadowchasers, and if successful, could replace them as the mediators for affairs between Shadowkind and humans. A new world order among Shadowkind would be started, and freeing Tharizdun from his prison would be a simple matter.

But Lareth got sloppy. News leaked out that folks who had vanished had come to horrible fates, offered as sacrifices in unholy rituals. Lareth knew that the local police and government would turn a blind eye – he had them all on the take. And so long as the government was bought, the Shadowchasers wouldn't be welcome in Haiti. Lareth didn't know, however, that another powerful group was in Haiti that was a threat. They could not be bribed, and he could never have convinced the government to make them leave.

In places like Haiti, charity groups are welcomed with open arms. Folks like the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross are always there, providing food, clothing, and medicine to those who have none.

St. Cuthbert's House was much smaller than those A-list organizations, but it was just as dedicated to providing hope in a country where there usually was none. And unlike most, they were always on the lookout for Shadow-related threats.

After all, Lareth was not the first evil divine spellcaster to plague Haiti. François Duvalier (or "Papa Doc", as people called him) was an oppressive dictator who ruled the country from 1957 until his death in 1971. While most practitioners of _Voodoo _are benign, Duvalier was clearly not. More than a little mad, he practiced dark magic. He deliberately dressed so as to resemble depictions of Baron Samedi, one of the most powerful _loa _(spiritual entities worshipped in the religion)_, _and at times suggested that he had godlike powers himself. He even once suggested that the assassination of John F. Kennedy, someone who pressured him for his methods, was due to a curse he cast upon him. The United States only tolerated Duvalier and his tyrannical regime because he was a strict opponent of Communism, and such a view was needed in that area of the world, where Cuba was, at the time, a threat.

The Shadowchasers missed their chance to take down Duvalier, but when St. Cuthbert's House learned of Lareth's evil plans, they decided to take action. They formed a sizeable force, and struck his compound in a pre-emptive strike, taking Lareth completely by surprise. Lareth's undead and demon forces were quickly vaporized by St. Cuthbert's holy power, and the altar to the Dark God was found and smashed into pieces of inert stone.

Lareth had put too much effort and resources into this project to accept defeat. He charged at the leader of the force personally; unfortunately for him, his petition for divine aid in his attack was never answered. For this audacity, the high priest clocked him in the face with his Mace of Disruption, knocking him out and marring his famous good looks.

When Lareth's defeat was certain, the assembled faithful of St. Cuthbert used their combined power to send all of Nulb to a pocket dimension, taking Lareth with it. Overnight, Lareth and his structures were gone, as if they had never been.

The leadership of the cult of Tharizdun blamed simple overconfidence for this terrible setback, and resolved that all future plans would never have such lax security. They knew that Lareth would still be needed if there ever _was _to be a future plan; after all, Lareth was the Champion of Elemental Evil, a prophesized chosen one of the order who held the key to freeing Tharizdun within him. But finding him had been difficult...

...but if Hape could lead them there, the search would be over…

"There's no time like the present…" said Tiberius. "Lorelei, gather whatever you think we'll need…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PARASITE CATRPILLAR**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **When this face-up card is attacked, after damage calculation Equip it to the attacking Monster as an Equip Card. The Equipped Monster is considered an Insect-Type Monster, and cannot attack or be Tributed. Monsters cannot select the Equipped Monster as an attack target. At your opponent's third Standby Phase after this card is Equipped to your opponent's Monster, destroy the Equipped Monster and Special Summon 1 "Poison Butterfly" from your deck to your opponent's side of the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**POISON BUTTERFLY**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,300

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned, except via the effect of "Parasite Caterpillar". During the End Phase of the controller of this card, he or she takes 500 points of damage.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PHEROMONE WASP**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Insect/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **If this card attacks your opponent directly and inflicts Battle Damage, you may Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Insect-Type Monster from your deck at the end of the Battle Phase.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MIMIC (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **An unidentified demon ducking as a moth flies over it.

**Card Description: **Activate when a face-up Insect-Type Monster you control is targeted by an attack. Return the attack target to its owner's hand, and Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Insect-Type Monster from your hand. The attacking Monster must then attack the Special Summoned Monster.

_Note: The preceding four cards were all used by Haiga in the multi-part original anime episode "On the Wrong Track". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PACT OF POWER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Dark Magician and Buster Blader facing each other at a negotiating table as the Goblin of Greed explains a written document to them.

**Card Description: **Activate only when both players control at least 1 face-up Level 7 or higher Monster. Both players draw 2 cards from their respective decks.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**EXECUTIVE ****PRIVILEGES**** (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Abaki and Opticlops bowing before Dark Ruler Ha Des, who is sitting on a throne made of skulls.

**Card Description: **If you control 2 or more face-up Monsters, all the face-up Monsters you control are of the same Type, and 1 face-up Monster you control is a higher Level than all other face-up Monsters you control, your opponent cannot target the highest Level face-up Monster you control as the target of an Attack. During any of your Standby Phases, you can send this card to the Graveyard and select 1 Level 7 or higher Monster you control. Gain 1,000 Life Points and destroy the selected Monster at the end of your turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MASTER MAGICIAN'S INCANTATION (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **A robed, hooded Spellcaster casting a spell, surrounded by glowing arcane symbols.

**Card Description: **During the turn this card is activated, you may activate 1 Normal Spell Card as a Quickplay Spell Card.

_Note: "Master Magician's Incantation" was first used by Judai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – POISON BARBS OF OBOX-OB (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A Doom Dozer with mandibles three times the normal size, preparing to strike.

**Card Description: **Equip only to a Plant or Insect-Type Monster that is Level 5 or greater. Pay 1,000 Life Points to Equip this card. The effect of this card is activated when the Equipped Monster destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle; for a number of rounds equal to the Level of the destroyed Monster, if your opponent draws a Monster of the same Type as the destroyed Monster, the drawn Monster is destroyed, and your opponent takes 800 points of damage. During this time, the effect of "Dark Forge – Poison Barbs of Obox-Ob" is not applied. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Jalal: Taka only got away with two of those envelopes, and two is better than nothing. We have to do our best to investigate the two locations they lead to. It won't be easy, because we won't know what to expect. Especially since one of them is in the middle of the Florida Everglades. **_

_**But I'm sending one of my best there. Edgar and his apprentice can handle whatever terrors lurk in the swamp…**_

_**I hope…**_

"_**Life-or-Death Wager; The Lizard King" is coming soon. **_


	28. Life or Death Wager, The Lizard King

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL TWENTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Life-or-Death Wager**

**The Lizard King**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The way the Shadowchasers operated, one might have thought that all Shadowkind lived in cities.

This was hardly the case. Many, if not most Shadowkind lived far from civilization.

In the swamplands of southern Florida, from Lake Okeechobee to the tip of the Everglades, Shadowkind thrived. Trolls lurked in their fens, bullywugs settled here on occasion (not as many nowadays, since Gripilus's disastrous attempt to lead them), and there were even rumors of a black dragon making its lair somewhere in this region.

The most civilized race in these marshlands was the lizard men, and it was them that the veteran Shadowchaser and his apprentice had come here to investigate, after getting a call from Dugan.

The older man's name was Edgar McDonald, and he was almost sixty years old, very robust for his age, muscular, sporting a well-trimmed beard and combed-over hair that was slowly greying. He wore the typical clothes for a hiker in this area: khaki jacket and pants and hiking boots, and he carried a knapsack with the essentials.

Edgar's accomplishments in the Shadowchasers could well take several chapters to get into. He was well-known among virtually every member of the organization in the States, having stood at the center of some of the most severe conflicts. He had also trained numerous other Shadowchasers, five at last count.

The eighteen-year-old girl with him was his sixth apprentice; her name was Maddie. She was wearing the same style clothes, with her brunette hair tied in long pigtails.

Edgar had dealt with this group of lizard men before, and as he looked through a pair of binoculars at the group of five of them, apparently a patrol of some sort, he was confused. They were big and hulking, with glossy black scales.

"Only blackscales in a patrol group…" he muttered to Maddie. "That worries me… The greenscales usually don't trust the blackscales alone without supervision."

Blackscales were one of the two main subspecies of lizard men. They were big, muscular brutes who weren't all-too bright. Tribes of only blackscales tended to be savage and barbaric, treating all other creatures as prey.

The other subspecies, the greenscales, weren't as strong, but were far more clever and civilized. Tribes that had at least thirty percent greenscales were usually willing to enter alliances with humans and other races for trade and mutual defense.

This tribe had done so… Although Edgar hadn't heard from them in a while…

"This doesn't make sense," said Edgar. "We made a deal with Samath, the chieftain, eight years ago. It was basically, they don't bother us, we don't bother them. They don't even worship the Dark God... They worship Semuanya."

"Who?" asked Maddie.

"A reptilian god who represents survival and fertility," he replied. "Not exactly on good terms with a god of destruction."

"Well, maybe they…" started Maddie.

Then she was cut short.

Someone reached out from the brush behind and grabbed her, pulling her out of sight before she could scream.

"Maddie!" gasped Edgar.

He quickly gave chase, running through the thick brush, ready to draw his weapon at a moment's notice. After about a minute, he burst into a clearing.

Five greenscales were standing there. One of them had Maddie in a hold, his hand clasped over her mouth.

Edgar was more than a little shocked when he saw who it was. He started to say something, but another of the greenscales motioned for him to be quiet.

The lizard man holding Maddie spoke to her quietly.

"I'm letting go now..." he said. "Don't scream... You scream, the other patrols will find us, and they'll kill all of us..."

He slowly let go. Maddie wrenched free, and ran to Edgar.

"Sslinth, what's going on?" demanded Edgar. "What..."

The lizard man made another shushing motion, and Edgar stopped talking. Then he motioned for the two of them to follow. Maddie turned to Edgar, and he nodded.

The five lizard men cautiously led them down a path, towards a cave in the side of a hill. They had to duck to enter it, and two of the lizard men stayed outside.

The apparent leader turned on a bulls-eye lantern, illuminating the small cave.

"Sorry about that," he said. "I had to get your attention before you got theirs. Scath knew you were coming. His benefactor said that the Shadowchasers knew what was happening here."

"Who is this guy?" asked Maddie.

"The tribe's shaman," replied Edgar. "Sslinth, where's Samath?"

"Dead..." replied Sslinth. "Murdered. Three years ago, an egg hatched into deformed infant... Samath made the mistake of not killing it... It grew fast, growing into a lizard king..."

Edgar knew what that meant. Lizard kings were vile corruptions of lizard men, created by a demon lord named Sess'innek. According to most myths about him, Sess'innek was a demon who had tired of the eternal Blood War, and had created this cursed strain in an attempt to gain worshippers. It hadn't worked the way he had intended – tribes ruled by lizard kings were incredibly rare – but when they appeared, they quickly took over the local tribe of lizard men, turning the normally indifferent humanoids into cold-blooded killers.

"Scath quickly turned all of the blackscales over to his side," continued Sslinth. "Then he ambushed and murdered Samath and took over completely. The greenscales were too afraid of the blackscales to disobey him. Then he defiled the altar in the temple of Semuanya and forbade us to pray to him. He's spent the past three years converting the altar into some ugly thing... Some shrine to a demon god."

"Sess'innek?" asked Edgar.

"No..." replied Sslinth. "Much worse than Sess'innek...

"I still pray to Semuanya when Scath isn't looking... But Semuanya's words grow fainter with every moon... Soon, I don't think he'll hear me at all."

"Well, we can help, right?" said Maddie. "I mean, that's what Shadowchasers do…"

"You're vastly outnumbered…" sighed Sslinth. "The greenscales all hate Scath, but they won't turn against him… At this point, they're relatively certain he can't be beaten.

"The four patrol guards I have here and three others in the village are the only greenscales brave enough to move behind his back. It's not because of a lack of courage that we don't openly move against him… Scath is has the power to make good the threats he uses to keep us in line. We've seen what he does to the folks who actually challenge him… He makes gruesome examples of the poor souls…"

"We could call for back-up…" said Edgar, rubbing his beard. "But I suppose Scath is more than willing to use the females and young as shields if we bring a large force into here?"

Sslinth nodded.

"I might have an idea…" said Edgar. "I take it that you and your four friends were out on patrol, looking for trespassers?"

"Well, yes…" said Sslinth. "Scath put everyone on alert ever since he got word from his benefactor."

"Maybe you could make it look like you found a few," said Edgar. "It's an old trick, but it works more often than you may think."

"We pose as prisoners?" said Maddie, nervously. "Edgar, just how much do you trust this guy?"

"I doubt that he's abandoned Semuanya, Maddie," replied Edgar. "Look at his torso."

Maddie looked at the lizard man, and saw that his torso and legs (which were only dressed in scant clothing, the norm for his kind) were covered by red welts. He had been lashed by a whip.

"He's all scarred..." she said. "He's been flogged..."

"He did it himself, Maddie," replied Edgar. "Shamans of Semuanya engage in self-flagellation, punishing themselves as a way of atonement.

"I think we can trust him."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fifteen minutes later, the five members of the patrol escorted Edgar and Maddie into the village, surrounding them on all sides, with their hands tied behind their backs – the knots purposely tied shoddily so that undoing them would be easy. Most of the buildings were thatched huts made of wood or sod, the only stone structure being the huge communal temple in the center that had been built when lizard men first settled here hundreds of years ago.

The plan seemed to be working. The blackscales cast a lot of dirty looks at the two humans, but no suspicious ones.

Edgar noticed a change among the blackscales right away. A lot of them were wearing jungle camouflage and were carrying spears and axes made from steel rather than the usual stone. Some were even armed with machetes.

"Is the new gear from Scath's 'benefactor'?" whispered Edgar.

Sslinth nodded.

"I have no idea who this 'benefactor' is," he replied. "He keeps that completely to himself."

The group walked up to the front door of the temple, where a blackscale holding a sledgehammer was standing in front of a gong.

"Following orders of the high priest," said Sslinth. "All trespassers are to be brought here."

"Password?" asked the blackscale.

"Water drowns the unprepared," replied Sslinth.

The blackscale grinned.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said, "that was _yesterday's _password!"

He punctuated the sentence by hitting the gong with the hammer. Then he dropped the hammer and lifted a machete as more blackscales started to rush towards them.

"They're onto us!" gasped Sslinth, as Edgar and Maddie freed their hands. "Do you two have a plan-B?"

"I _always _have a plan-B…" said Edgar.

He hit a switch on his belt, and three capsules fell into his hand. He threw them to the ground, and a cloud of obscuring smoke covered the front of the temple.

"Wha?" said one of the blackscales. "Where…"

He was cut off as an explosion tore the door to the temple off.

The next minute, Edgar, Maddie, and Sslinth were running down the temple hall.

"They're right behind us!" shouted Maddie.

"This way!" shouted Sslinth, as they turned a corner.

"STOP!"

The stopped short. The hallway in front of them had statues of snakes along each wall.

Sslinth reached into the mouth of the one closest to him.

"Get ready to run," he said. "When I turn off this booby trap, we'll have ten seconds to reach the end of this hallway before it turns back on…"

He pulled down the switch with a click. The three of them made a dash for the hall at the other end, making it just within the ten seconds.

The blackscales chasing them followed, and when they tried, gas shot from the mouths of the snakes. They choked for a few seconds, and then collapsed.

"I would be a sorry excuse for a shaman," said Sslinth, "if didn't know where the traps in my own temple were."

"How many bodyguards does Scath have?" asked Edgar.

"Usually, ten," replied Sslinth.

"Don't worry," said Maddie, "we can handle that many."

The door to the main temple came into view. Edgar gave it one swift kick, and they charged inside.

And then they stopped short…

There weren't ten lizard men facing them, there were about _twenty. _Even worse, they were armed with assault rifles, which they were aiming at them.

"You didn't say this benefactor was giving them guns..." said Edgar to Sslinth.

"Honestly…" said Sslinth, "this is news to me too..."

"You know, Sslinth…" said a voice that spoke clearer English than even Sslinth did, "for someone who worships a god of survival, you don't know much about self-preservation."

The blackscales stood aside. Behind them was the altar. It was made of black stone, had candelabras on each end, and a hide drum to the side.

Behind the altar was a throne, on which an important-looking lizard man was seated. He had the same skin coloring as a greenscale, but was even bigger and more muscular than a blackscale, with longer claws and a face that looked more like that of an alligator than a lizard. He held a large trident in his hands with barbed points that seemed to be made entirely out of steel.

The weapon was what made Edgar the most nervous. No-one knew how lizard kings made or obtained the tridents that they carried, but they were terrible weapons when they used them. Stories were told of lizard kings literally skewering opponents with them.

The lizard king flicked his wrist, and a small flame appeared in his hand. Edgar was startled until he realized it was a cigarette lighter. Scath proceeded to light a cigar, and started puffing on it. The smell of incredibly vile tobacco permeated the room. Edgar had heard how swamp-dwelling races had cultivated such stuff and smoked it in pipes… Clearly, Scath had turned it into cigars.

Scath got up off his throne and looked at the very nervous shaman.

"I'll deal with you once I figure out a suitable punishment," he said. "For now, I have to deal with these two Shadowchasers."

He looked at Edgar. Then he looked at Maddie closely.

"What's a good kid like you doing in a mess like this?" he said with a grin. 

"Stay away from her…" said Edgar.

Scath chuckled.

"You humans coming here has actually been a stroke of good luck," he said. "You like my altar?"

Edgar looked at the altar.

"It's not without its charm," he said, sarcastically. "I take it there's some magic involved in it?"

"I can't show you how it works now," said Scath, "seeing as I can only use it one night a week, and this isn't the right night. But I can explain the process. I'm quite proud of this; I've been working on it for three years. Had to do all the work myself… These blackscales have trouble pitching a tent.

"First, on the right night, a priest of the Elder Elemental Eye, like me, simply has to touch it. After a few minutes, it becomes translucent, and takes on an amethyst color, with a shifting amorphous center. If the candles are lit and someone beats the drum, a golden eye forms in that center.

"Then, one of two things can happen. If a Savage Claw is not present, the eye floats out, and turns into a golden egg. It grows to a diameter of ten feet, and after five minutes, hatches into four elemental salamanders. Who then serve the priest, if he can control them.

"So what is a Savage Claw?" asked Maddie.

"It's this," said Scath, taking something off his belt. "A gift from my benefactor…"

He held up a metal scepter with a wicked looking claw on the end. Obviously, the claw had once belonged to something living, but exactly what was hard to say.

"What, you scared of it?" he asked, as Maddie nervously edged away from it.

He nudged her chin with it…

"Don't touch her..." growled Edgar.

"Don't worry," said Scath, as he replaced it on his belt, "most of the time, this thing can't do anything but serve as a glorified backscratcher. But... If it is present when that eye appears, a tentacle reaches out of the altar, grabbing the nearest living creature and pulling it into the altar, destroying it utterly."

"And I suppose that the idea is to tie up a victim and place him _on _the altar as an intended sacrifice?" asked Edgar.

"Exactly," replied Scath. "Once that is done, the priest presiding, that would be me, makes a request for a magical item. If the life offered was valuable enough to warrant it, then the item appears on the altar.

"The egg still appears in this case, but it can be destroyed simply by touching it with the Claw.

"Of course, I can only assume this is all true, as I haven't used it yet, but I'm anxious to do so... In three nights, I'll have a chance..."

"Listen Scath, I can see where this is going..." said Edgar, with an angry tone. "You do realize that if you are caught and convicted of performing a blood sacrifice on a human, you may be given the death penalty.

"And it isn't like no-one knows that the two of us are here. The Shadowchasers in at least three cities know where we've gone, and why."

He was startled as one of the blackscales fired his weapon, hitting the ground at his feet.

"Don't talk back to the high priest, wise guy!" shouted the thug.

He started to say something else, but then Scath grabbed him by the neck.

"Did I give the order to fire that weapon?" shouted Scath. _"Did I? _Do you idiots think you can use guns like you use whips?"

"Can't… breathe…" choked the blackscale.

"That's because I'm choking you, you moron!" added Scath. "If I've told you idiots once, I've told you a hundred times, those guns are not to be used unless I tell you to use them! Understand?"

He dropped the blackscale, who fell to his knees and gasped for breath.

Scath went back to his throne, and sat down. He took one last drag on his cigar, and then flicked it away. He looked at Edgar.

"Besides, you have a valid point..." he continued. "Your half-dragon employer would likely send an army here to arrest us... Hmm...

"Seems I have two choices... One, I could offer one of you, and wish for something that would delay or hinder such an army until my benefactor's plans come to fruition. After that, anything that happened would be moot...

"But... Seeing as I had my heart set on a pair of Gauntlets of Defense, I could just keep you two as bargaining chips to keep your allies away, and find another sacrifice.

"On the other hand, I might not find another sacrifice in three days, and waiting ten days might give your boss too much time..."

He turned to a blackscale.

"Bring me my axe!" he shouted.

"You have an axe?" asked the blackscale.

Scath stood up, and punched the minion in the face.

"I meant my Duel Disk, stupid!" he said.

The blackscale ran into the side room, holding his eye where he had been hit. Scath turned back to Edgar and Maddie.

"You're starting to see why I haven't used the altar yet…" he muttered. "I doubt I could get a Horn of Fog from one of these lunkheads."

Edgar turned to Sslinth, and spoke softly.

"The way this guy treats them," he says, "it's a wonder even the blackscales follow him."

"The blackscales are fascinated by magic and technology…" replied Sslinth. "I remember when we first started trading with humans. One of the blackscales had heartburn, so I gave him Alka-Seltzer.

"He was far more thrilled by the plop-plop-fizz-fizz than by its ability to make him feel better. "

The blackscale rushed back with a Duel Disk, and Scath grabbed it. He slipped it over his left hand.

"You want to duel?" asked Edgar.

"Why not?" asked Scath. "I'm holding all the cards, after all. See, I'm leaning towards the first option I mentioned right now... But... I might change my mind and spare both of you if I lose this duel."

"Fine, I'll duel you..." said Edgar, as he lifted his Duel Disk.

"Not you..." replied Scath. "Your apprentice."

Edgar stopped short.

"What?" he said.

"After all," continued Scath, "she's the one whose life is at stake."

"WHAT?" shouted Edgar.

He looked at Maddie.

"Please..." said Scath. "A chaste maiden is worth far more as an offering than a middle-aged man."

"Over my dead body!" shouted Edgar.

Before he could make one step, Scath lifted his right hand, and every blackscale in the room aimed their weapons at him.

Edgar froze. He had a sinking feeling that lifting his right hand was the first part of giving the order to open fire…

"Uhm, I could arrange that, you know…" said Scath.

"Let me talk to her for a minute…" said Edgar.

"Fine…" said Scath. "_One _minute.

"Cigar!"

A blackscale handed him a fresh cigar. He lit it as Edgar took Maddie in his arms. She was clearly frightened.

"What do we do?" she said, nearly crying. "This is a lose-lose situation! Even if I win this duel, he'll probably use us for slave labor!"

"Calm down, Maddie!" urged Edgar. "Across the desert lies the Promised Land, as a wise man once said.

"As long as we can stay alive, there's hope. Just take it turn by turn. I might still have a few tricks left."

"Enough talk!" shouted Scath.

Two blackscales pulled Maddie away from Edgar, and shoved her into position, facing Scath.

"Across the desert lies the Promised Land?" asked Sslinth? "Is that a reference to the Book of Exodus?"

"Truthfully, it's a reference to an old Gene Wilder movie," replied Edgar. "But it still works."

Both duelists activated their Disks.

"Duel!" they shouted.

**(Maddie: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Scath: 8,000)**

"Experience rules here," said Scath.

He made his first draw.

"I'm going first."

He added the card to his hand, and then chose two.

"I set one card, and then summon Balloon Lizard."

A card appeared in his Spell Zone, and then a Monster appeared whose name seemed to describe it perfectly. It was a lizard with a large, spherical torso, and floated as if it were lighter than air. (500 ATK)

"THIEF!" shouted Sslinth. "That's Samath's deck you're using!"

"I don't see Samath objecting," replied Scath, "so shut up!

"It's your move, Shadowchaser."

Maddie looked at her deck. Her hand shook.

"What?" asked the lizard king. "Too nervous to even draw a card?"

Maddie finally drew. She picked a card from her hand, and threw it on her Disk.

"I… I summon Panther Warrior…" she said.

With a roar, one of the signature Beast-Warriors of Katsuya Jonouchi leapt onto the field, a panther man with violet fur wearing a cape and decorated breastplate, holding a scimitar. (2,000 ATK)

"Well…" said Scath. "Not what I expected… Kind of a poor choice, too… After all, with Gene-Warped Warwolf around, that guy is all washed up as a Beast-Warrior."

"I end my turn…" said Maddie.

"Suit yourself," said Scath, making a draw.

"I first move Balloon Lizard to Defense Mode…"

Balloon Lizard crossed its forearms and curled up its tail. (1,900 DEF)

"Then I set another card, and summon Lion Alligator."

Another card appeared in his Spell Zone, and then a large alligator with a lion's mane appeared in front of him. (1,900 ATK)

"And that's all for now…"

"My move!" said Maddie, starting to gain confidence.

She looked over the six cards in her hand, then at Balloon Lizard.

_The longer that thing stays on the field, the more dangerous it becomes, _she thought.

She looked at Lion Alligator.

_I have no idea what _that _guy's story is, but I'll have to wait on it…_

"I activate the Stray Lambs Spell Card!" she said.

She played the card, and two small Lamb Tokens appeared next to Panther Warrior. (0 DEF x2)

"Like I didn't see _that _coming," chuckled Scath.

"Stuff it!" replied Maddie. "I sacrifice one of these little lambs so that Panther Warrior can attack…"

One of the Tokens vanished.

"…and he'll attack Balloon Lizard!"

Panther Warrior snarled, and lunged at the bloated lizard…

"I activate… Staunch Defender!" shouted Scath, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Now, instead of destroying Balloon Lizard, your Beast-Warrior will be attacking Lion Alligator!"

Panther Warrior made a sharp turn, and slashed with his blade, cutting the alligator in twain.

"Then," said Scath, as his other facedown card lifted up, "my Miracle's Wake Trap Card brings it right back to the field…"

Lion Alligator materialized again, and grinned a toothy grin at Maddie. (1,900 ATK)

Maddie sighed.

"That's all I can do…" she said.

**(M: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,900)**

Scath drew a card, and exhaled a large plume of smoke from his cigar.

_I don't know what's worse, _said Maddie, _his Monsters, or the smell from those stinkers…_

"I sacrifice Lion Alligator…" said Scath.

The Reptile turned into a blob of watery energy.

"…to summon forth Spawn Alligator!"

Another alligator appeared, this one standing on its rear legs, with beige scales, and wearing a metal helmet, breastplate, and gauntlets. (2,200 ATK)

"Attack that Panther Warrior!" he shouted. "Razor Claw!"

Spawn Alligator made a rush at Panther Warrior, and the Beast-Warrior screamed as its claw raked across him. He shattered.

"I end my turn," continued Scath. "Which means it's time for an old friend to come back…"

Once again, Lion Alligator reappeared. (1,900 ATK)

"How did he come back?" gasped Maddie.

"When Spawn Alligator is summoned using a Reptile for a sacrifice," replied Scath, "the sacrificed Reptile comes back during the End Phase.

"And it's your move…"

**(M: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,900)**

"Great, she's already losing…" moaned Sslinth.

"Sslinth, look…" said Edgar. "I have a lot of faith in Maddie… But like she said, even if she wins, we'll only be prisoners.

"If this story is going to have a happy ending, it's going to take action on your part…"

"But… How?" asked Sslinth, his voice sinking to a whisper. "I already told you, Scath is stronger than me…"

"Then the solution is obvious…" said Edgar. "You have to outsmart him. Tell me something, how old are you?"

"Uhm, uh…" said Sslinth. "About forty-two of your years. Why?"

"Why?" asked Edgar. "I'll tell you why, it means that you've got thirty-nine more years of experience that Scath. He may have grown incredibly fast, but he's still _very _young.

"You knew about that booby trap in the hall leading up to the main temple… Now think…

"You've spent most of your life worshipping Semuanya in this temple. Does this place have _any _secrets in it that Scath does not know about?"

Sslinth didn't respond, but he started to look over the walls of the room. It was covered with decorated masks, shields, and other religious paraphernalia that Scath had never gotten rid of.

His eyes fell on a bronze sword…

"My move!" shouted Maddie.

She drew a card.

She quickly set it on her Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"I end my turn." 

Scath made a draw.

He looked at the Level 8 Monster on the card.

_This will be good for later… _he thought.

"My Lion Alligator attacks your Lamb Token…" he said.

Lion Alligator rushed the Token, its jaws snapping.

"…and because I control another Reptile-Type Monster, it does trampling damage!"

The blow hit Maddie hard, knocking her on her behind.

"Next, my Spawn Alligator attacks your other Monster…"

Spawn Alligator slashed with its claw. Skelengel appeared briefly before shattering.

"I get to draw one card…" muttered Maddie, making a draw.

"Fine, fine," said Scath, "it's your move…"

**(M: 5,900) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,900)**

Maddie made a draw. Then her eyes lit up.

_Hey… _she thought. _This just might work!_

"I discard one card from my hand," she said, as she discarded a second Stray Lambs, "to Special Summon The Tricky!"

An ominous portal opened, and a weird figure floated out. It was a caped Spellcaster dressed in a green and black jester's outfit, with a red question mark over his chest and face. (2,000 ATK)

"Next," she continued, "a Spell Card… Tricky Spell 4!"

She played the card, and The Tricky vanished.

"By sending The Tricky to the Graveyard, I get one Tricky Token for every Monster you have."

Three defending Monsters that looked exactly like The Tricky appeared in front of her. (1,200 DEF x2)

"Defending with those jokers isn't going to get you anywhere," said Scath.

"Who's defending?" asked Maddie, with a grin. "I'm going to sacrifice them…"

The three Tricky Tokens turned into three orbs of light, and the orb turned into a larger orb…

With an explosion of energy, Beast King Barbaros leapt onto the field. (3,000 ATK)

"Ho… boy…" said Scath.

He braced himself as all three of his Monsters exploded into shards.

"You may have wiped out my Monsters," he said, angrily, "but you still have to deal with Balloon Lizard's effect! You take 400 points of damage for each of my Standby Phases that it was on the field. That's 1,200 points total."

Maddie grunted as a slight burning sensation hit her.

"Oh yeah?" she said. "Barbaros, attack him directly!"

The Beast King roared, and stabbed the lizard king in the chest, knocking him backwards against his throne.

**(M: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,900)**

Scath got up, fuming with anger. The pain and humiliation were bad enough… The worst part was, the fall had ruined his cigar.

He threw it away, and glared at Maddie.

"Seems I underestimated you, girl…" he said. "I won't make that mistake again…"

At this point, Sslinth had made up his mind. Scath was likely going to kill him for bringing the two Shadowchasers here unless some miracle occurred, and the only way he could see a miracle happening was if he helped make one.

Now that Scath was distracted, he slowly inched towards the sword he had been looking at.

"I'll end my turn with two facedown cards," said Maddie, as two set cards appeared in her Spell Zone.

"My move…" growled Scath, making a draw.

He looked at the five cards in his hand. Then he paused.

"Excuse me a minute…" he said.

He picked up his trident, and then hurled it at Sslinth. It imbedded itself in the wall, mere inches from the shaman's face.

"Stay away from there, Sslinth," he said, "or I'll make sure your death is even _more _agonizing."

He turned to Maddie.

"It was some sword that the chieftain kept here…" he said with a chuckle. "He claimed it was some relic of Semuanya, although he never actually used it. He just kept it there for a wall decoration…

"A lot of good it did the fool…

"Now where was I… Oh yes…"

He set a card on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"That will do for now…"

Maddie drew a card. Then, one of her facedown cards lifted up.

"I activate Ojama Trio," she said. "It summons three Ojama Tokens to your side of the field."

Scath stepped back as Ojama Green, Ojama Black, and Ojama Yellow materialized in front of him. He looked at them in disgust. (1,000 DEF x2)

"Next," she said, as she played a Spell Card, "I play Token Thanksgiving. It destroys all Token Monsters on the field…"

The three Ojamas shattered.

"…and grants me 800 Life Points for each one."

She closed her eyes, as a golden glow surrounded her.

"You aren't so lucky, however, because when Ojama Tokens are destroyed, the controller loses 300 Life Points for each."

Scath grunted as three small explosions burst on his chest.

"Next, Beast King Barbaros puts the hurt on your Monster!"

The huge Beast-Warrior leapt at the hidden Monster. A large turtle appeared on the card, and shattered as the spear hit it.

"That was Reptilianne Gardna," said Scath. "And because you destroyed it, I get to take another Reptilianne from my deck."

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"It's your move…" said Maddie.

**(M: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,000)**

Scath made a draw.

"Just what I needed," he said. "I play Nightmare's Steelcage!"

He played the card, and flames erupted around Maddie and her Monster. A large dome-shaped cage studded with spikes formed around her and Beast King Barbaros.

"That will keep you at bay for two turns," continued Scath.

He placed a card on his Disk, and another set Monster appeared. Then he set another card, and a set card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"My turn is over," he said.

"In that case…" said Maddie, as she drew a card.

"I'm just going to pass for this turn."

Scath made another draw.

He set one more card, and another set Monster appeared.

"Your move again," he said.

Maddie drew a card. She looked at her three cards.

She set one in her Disk, and a set card appeared in her Spell Zone, next to the other one.

She waved her hand to signal the end of her turn, and the Steelcage shattered into shards.

Scath chuckled as he made a draw.

_Time to show her some serious pain, _he thought.

"You're going to regret not leaving those Ojama Tokens on the field, Shadowchaser," he said with a grin. "Since you seem so fond of Tokens, I'm going to summon a couple of my own…

"I play Reptilianne Spawn!"

He played a Spell Card.

"By removing the Reptilianne Gardna in my Graveyard from play, I get two Reptilianne Tokens."

Two ugly little lizards appeared next to his two set Monsters. (0 ATK x2)

"Next, my facedown card activates," he continued. "The dreaded Trap Monster, Embodiment of Apophis!"

The facedown card shot up, and the wicked two-headed Reptile, holding a scimitar, leapt onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice Embodiment of Apophis, both Reptilianne Tokens, and one of my set Monsters…"

The four Monsters turned into four glowing orbs…

"A Monster that needs _four _sacrifices?" exclaimed Edgar. "I never heard of such of thing!"

Then a very large alligator, twice the size of Maddie, formed on Scath's side of the field. (2,500 ATK)

"Technically, Dark Alligator only _needed _two sacrifices," explained Scath. "However, by using four, I now get to use its effect, and conjure up two Alligator Tokens."

Two normal-sized alligators appeared next to the much larger Dark Alligator. (2,000 ATK x2)

"And I'm not done," continued Scath. "I flip my Reptilianne Viper into Attack Mode."

His other set Monster flipped up, revealing a nasty-looking little snake with stubby arms. (0 ATK)

"That's…" said Maddie.

"Yes…" said Scath. "A Tuner!"

"Wait…" said Sslinth. "Samath had no Synchro Monsters in his deck!"

"My benefactor gave me one," replied Scath. "They thought the deck could use some improvements…"

Reptilianne Viper and one of the Alligator Tokens flew towards the ceiling, and slowly dissolved into a cluster of stars.

"_From the depths of the swamp, combine to form a mighty warrior who can swing a sword faster than the speed of sound!"_

**(*2 + *5 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Alligator's Dragonsword!"_

The Monster that leapt onto the field looked familiar… It looked like another of Jonouchi's signature cards. However, it was wearing finer quality armor and held a different sword.

"Alligator's Sword?" asked Maddie.

"Alligator's Dragonsword," replied Scath. "This is a vast improvement over the old version.

"Let me explain its effect… Its Attack and Defense Scores are each 400 times the Level of the highest Level Monster on the field, aside from itself.

"The highest Level Monster on the field is Level 8…"

(3,200 ATK)

Wasting no time, Alligator's Dragonsword made a rush at Beast King Barbaros, making a deep cut with its blade. The Beast King roared, and then shattered.

"Of course, because my Dark Alligator is also Level 8, Alligator Dragonsword loses nothing.

"Now for you…"

The Alligator Token rushed at Maddie, and chomped on her shin. She let out a scream.

"Wait, wait!" laughed Scath. "My Dark Alligator is feeling left out…"

The huge Reptile bull-rushed Maddie and rammed into her, knocking her back eight feet. She landed on her rump.

"It's the hardest part of dueling," chuckled Scath. "Fortunately for you, you landed on your softest part."

The blackscales broke into laughter.

**(M: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 4,000)**

"A million laughs…" said Maddie. "I activate my Spell Card…"

One of her facedown cards lifted up.

"Scapegoat!"

In a flash, four Sheep Tokens appeared in front of her. (0 DEF x2)

"WHA?" said Scath. "Why… You could have avoided my direct attacks with that card!"

Maddie got up and glared at him.

"Are you through with your turn?" she asked.

"You're up to something…" growled Scath. "But yeah… I end my turn…"

Maddie drew a card. She looked at Scath, and smirked a little.

"I set one card," she said, as another card appeared in her Spell Zone, "and then summon Parasitic Ticky."

She played the card, and a rather ugly Insect appeared in front of her. It looked like a humanoid tick or louse, carrying a quiver full of metal javelins.

"You think I'm scared of a tick?" asked Scath. "I'm a reptile! Only mammals have problems with ticks!"

"That's not entirely true, actually," said Edgar.

"And this tick might give you a problem," said Maddie, "because its score is 500 times the number of Token Monsters on the field.

"There are five, my four Sheep Tokens and your one Alligator Token…"

(2,500 ATK)

"And now it's going to attack that Alligator Token! Javelin Stinger!"

Parasitic Ticky hurled one of its weapons, impaling the smaller alligator. It groaned, and burst into shards.

"Urgh…" said Scath.

**(M: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 3,500)**

"I end my turn…" said Maddie, as Parasitic Ticky's Attack Score fell to 2,000.

Scath snarled as he made a draw.

_If I have to crash through all five of those Monsters to het to her, _he thought, _it seems I'm just gonna have to do it…_

"Trap Card, activate!" shouted Maddie, interrupting his train of thought.

"Huh?" said Scath, looking at the Trap she had triggered.

"Nightmare Archfiends!" she exclaimed. "I sacrifice one Monster…"

Parasitic Ticky vanished.

"And three Nightmare Archfiend Tokens are summoned to your side of the field!"

Scath stepped back in shock as three hideous, gaunt, demonic shadows appeared on his field. (2,000 ATK x3)

"Why…" he started.

"And in response," she continued, as her last Trap Card lifted up, "I activate Token Feastevil! It destroys all Tokens on the field, and deals 300 points of damage to you for each one!"

All four Sheep Tokens and the three Nightmare Archfiend Tokens shattered, and Scath hollered in pain.

**(M: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 1,400)**

"You'll pay for that…" he snarled.

"I'm not done," said Maddie. "When a Nightmare Archfiend Token is destroyed, the controller loses 800 Life Points."

"But that means…" said Scath, his eyes opening wide.

He screamed as a wave of energy hit him, knocking him backwards.

**(M: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

Everyone in the room looked dumbfounded at Scath. The blackscales couldn't believe it.

"Well, Scath?" asked Edgar.

Scath got up, fuming with rage.

"Fine…" he said through his teeth. "I'll spare the two of you… I'm a man of my word…"

He looked at Sslinth.

"However… _Someone _is going to pay for this… humiliation… And he's going to pay with his life…"

He walked over to Sslinth, and yanked the trident out of the wall.

"Time to pay the piper, Sslinth," he said.

Sslinth backed up a little as Scath lifted the trident…

Then Scath paused.

"Wait…" he said, putting it down. "I have a _much _better idea…"

He grabbed Samath's sword off the wall.

"Fitting I should use this, isn't it?" he said with a laugh.

He lifted it above his head with both hands. Sslinth closed his eyes.

Then he opened them again.

"Edgar! Maddie!" he shouted. "My apologies in advance!"

And then what could best be described as lightning striking, several times, blasted through the room, followed by multiple screams…

Sslinth held his chest and panted for breath. Everyone in the room except him (including Edgar and Maddie, unfortunately) had been knocked completely out. Sslinth wasn't feeling all too good himself. He was sick to his stomach, was dizzy, and couldn't see straight.

Of course, when a deity channels his wrath through one of his followers, it tends to be a strain on the follower.

_I won't throw up, _thought the shaman. _I won't throw up, I won't…_

_Aw, heck with it…_

He keeled over and threw up.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later…

Edgar had called for backup, and a squad of heavily armed Shadowchasers was leading Scath and his followers into a prisoner transport. The assembled greenscales watched eagerly as the lizard king was led away.

Sslinth, Edgar, and Maddie were sitting on a log in the temple's shadow, drinking coffee.

"So…" said Edgar. "You figured that if Scath lifted that Holy Defender with the intent to murder you, Semuanya would respond to your plea for aid?"

"Yes…" replied Sslinth. "Scath never read the ancient texts that came with the weapon. It is only to be used for defense of the homes of the scaly folk. Doing otherwise is to invoke the wrath of the Lizard God."

"Boy, Sslinth," said Maddie, "if Mundane religious leaders could perform acts of faith like that, their congregations would be scared to death!"

"That's one of the reasons why they can't, Maddie," replied Edgar. "Not anymore, at least. Still, Sslinth, you could have warned us. Boy, have I got a headache!"

"Trust me, it is nothing compared to mine," replied the shaman. "I _really _hope that I never have to do that again."

"Listen…" said Edgar. "Once we get our strength back, we need to get into Scath's personal quarters. Find out what the whole deal with this place is so we can do what we came here to do. Can you help us with that?"

Sslinth finished his coffee with one more gulp.

"Scath repeatedly said that anyone caught near his quarters would be punished with ninety days of suffering before being allowed to die," he replied, "so I assume any traps he rigged near it are non-lethal.

"I think I can get you in there…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK ALLIGATOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Water  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,300

**Card Description: **You can Tribute Summon this card by Tributing 4 Monsters. If you do, Special Summon 2 "Alligator Tokens" (Reptile-Type/Water/Level 5/2,000 ATK/2,000 DEF) to your side of the field.

_Note: "Dark Alligator" was first used by Jim in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ALLIGATOR'S DRAGONSWORD (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** ?  
**DEF:** ?

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

The ATK and DEF of this card is both equal to 400x the Level of the face-up Monster on the field with the highest Level, other than "Alligator's Dragonsword".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Tiberius: Twenty years have passed since Lareth vanished, along with the town he built. He's been living alone in this dimensional limbo all that time as his buildings have fallen apart, his mind degenerating just as they have. But while he may be even madder than the typical member of our organization, it seems his power is greater than it has ever been. **_

_**Restraining him and dragging him back to Earth may well be impossible. Reasoning with him might even be harder. Accepting his challenge is dangerous, but it may be the best option. Duel Monsters has changed a good deal in two decades, and I think I might have the advantage.**_

"_**Dark Development; Duel of the Doomdreamers" is next.**_


	29. Duel of the Doomdreamers

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**DUEL TWENTY-NINE**

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**Dark Development**

**Duel of the Doomdreamers**

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**0 0 0 0 0**

One Incantifer (who was known for his love of rich desserts) once compared the Ethereal Plane to a German black forest cake, the Deep Ethereal being the cake part, with the various demiplanes being the cherries.

This wasn't far off… The Ethereal Plane was indeed a large expanse full of small pocket dimensions, ranging in size from small yards with a single residence, to realms that were almost worlds onto themselves.

In one of these pocket dimensions, the ghost town of Nulb was hidden, tucked away far off the beaten path by St. Cuthbert's faithful. It would be impossible to find unless you knew where you were going…

Fortunately for the two Doomdreamers, the strange man whom they had let into their fold did…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Thunder rumbled over an overcast sky in a place that still had the heat and humidity that Haiti was known for. Time had not been kind to Nulb. The once proud town had suffered from serious neglect. Dark and disgusting, most of the buildings had collapsed. Rotted barracks, storehouses, and other unidentifiable buildings stood decaying. Almost all of them were overgrown with vegetation which still grew in the dim light of the demiplane, the weeds and briars covering the foul, filthy place like a shroud.

Ironically, the only structure that seemed stable was the temple where several gruesome rituals had been carried out by Lareth the Beautiful… Champion of Elemental Evil and most likely, the only living resident of this place.

Tiberius, Lorelei, and Hape materialized about twenty feet from this large structure. Lorelei clutched her stomach, feeling a little woozy.

"Ugh…" she said. "Dimensional travel always makes me queasy…"

Tiberius and Hape looked at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing…" said Tiberius.

_She's half-demon, and dimensional travel makes her sick? _he thought. _That's like a wind genasi getting airsick…_

"People…" said Hape. "Look sharp… Lareth has been here alone for twenty years. Being isolated that long can do bad things to people.

"For all we know, he may be too mad to even understand English. The sound of voices other than his own may terrify him."

"Look there…" said Tiberius.

He pointed to a tree next to the entrance to the temple. It looked like a peach tree, but…

The walked over to it. Their suspicions were confirmed. The peaches were glossy and black.

It was very familiar to the two Doomdreamers… They had one of these trees themselves. Black fruits were special in Tharizdun's faith. They were cultivated in the Abyss, and young trees were given to temples at the discretion of the Triad. They could bestow great powers upon those who ate them… If used in moderation…

"You'd think St. Cuthbert's followers would have chopped this down," said Lorelei.

"Maybe they did," replied Tiberius, "but unless they dug up the roots and burned them, it would have grown back within a month. These trees are tough."

"People…" said Hape.

He bent down, and picked up a big handful of peach pits.

"Just how many of these things do you think Lareth has been eating?"

"Judging from all the pits," said Lorelei, looking down, "far more than the recommended amount…"

"What else has he had to eat here?" asked Tiberius. "He probably ran out of edible supplies years ago…"

Then they heard a shout. Lorelei spun around…

…and in the next second, a crossbow bolt struck her in the chest. She fell over, but fortunately, her regenerative powers saved her life.

Everyone looked, and saw the man aiming the crossbow at them. It couldn't have been anyone but Lareth the Beautiful.

While his devotion to the Dark God and the diet of Abyssal fruit had kept him from aging, his face bore hideous scars from the battle with St. Cuthbert's forces. His hair had not seen a comb or a proper scissors in years, and was a tangled mess. His Doomdreamer vestments were torn and filthy, and the armor underneath was tarnished and rusted. It seemed now that Lareth the Beautiful was anything but.

"Stay away from there!" he demanded.

"By all means," said Tiberius, stepping away from the tree. "Lareth the Beautiful, I assume?"

"That is me…" said Lareth. "High priest of the cult of Tharizdun, Champion of Elemental Evil, and sole survivor of the Doomdreamers. If you seek to kill me, expect a fight."

He lifted the crossbow.

"Sole survivor?" said Lorelei.

She grunted as she pulled the crossbow bolt out of her chest.

"Uh… Lareth…" said Tiberius, "I am Ulysses Tiberius, and I myself am a proud member of the Doomdreamers."

"Same here!" added Lorelei.

"We were sent by the Triad to rescue you, but…" continued Tiberius.

"The Triad still lives?" shouted Lareth. "The Doomdreamers still exist?"

"Well, yeah…" replied Lorelei.

"And they left me to die in this Hell?" screamed Lareth.

Lightning flashed.

"Ho boy…" said Hape. "Of all the presumptions he could have made, why did he have to make that one?"

Lareth glared at them.

"This place is actually worse than Hell…" he said, in a much softer voice. "I believe that Hell at least has more than one person in it. I've had to suffer here all alone for the past twenty years…"

"Now calm down…" said Tiberius, lifting his arms.

Lareth eyed the Duel Disk on Tiberius's left arm, a standard-issue one, as Hape had told them not to bring any symbols of Tharizdun.

Lareth chuckled as he looked at it. Then he clutched his chest and coughed. He spit on the ground.

"Duel Monsters, eh?" he said. "I see that the old game is still around, and can still be turned into a deadly duel of Shadows… That's obviously the reason why you brought it…"

"I don't want to fight you…" said Tiberius.

Lareth dropped the crossbow, and then held up his left arm. The same demonic Duel Disk that Lorelei had used against Taka appeared on his arm.

"Well then…" said Lareth. "If you fancy yourself a Doomdreamer, let us see who our lord favors most… In a Shadow Duel!"

Tiberius hesitated… He looked at Lorelei and Hape.

"Go on…" said Lorelei. "He's been stuck here for twenty years… You probably have cards that he never heard of."

Tiberius turned to Lareth.

"Very well…" he said. "But should I win, you come back with us quietly."

He activated his Duel Disk.

**(Tiberius: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 8,000)**

Lareth coughed again. He cleared his throat.

"I'll start this show…" he said, making his opening draw.

He looked at his hand of six cards, and then took two. He set both, and they appeared in two flashes of light, one in his Monster Zone, the other in his Spell Zone.

"I end my turn…" he said, "for now…"

Tiberius made a draw. He quickly played one.

"I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Guidance to Ore," he said.

As he played it, there was a loud rumble, and a large hill with a cave opening in front appeared behind him.

"Having done that," he continued, "I summon Mine Golem to the field."

He played another card, and the squat golem with a pack on its back materialized in front of him. (1,000 ATK)

"And having done _that, _I set a card…"

A facedown card appeared behind Mine Golem.

"…and it's your move…"

Lareth drew a card, and then quickly played it.

"I call Jerry Beans Man to the field!" he exclaimed.

Seeing the Monster appear was even more of surprise than hearing him say it. It was a big jelly bean with a smiling face, small arms and legs, wearing a cape, and holding a wooden sword. (1,750 ATK)

"What in the world?" said Lorelei. "This guy _must _have gone mad… He's actually using a walking Good & Plenty?"

"Maybe my strategy is too complex for your feeble minds to comprehend," said Lareth. "But for now…

"My Monster attacks Mine Golem! Destroy!"

Jerry Beans Man struck Mine Golem with its sword, blowing the statue to little pieces.

"I activate Mine Golem's effect!" exclaimed Tiberius. "When it gets totaled in battle, you take 500 points of damage."

Lareth grunted as an explosion of flame erupted around him.

"But wait, there's more…" continued Tiberius. "Thanks to Guidance to Ore, whenever a Rock-Type Monster is destroyed, I'm allowed to Special Summon one from my deck with the same name."

A bolt of energy shot out of the cave, and turned into another Mine Golem. (1,000 ATK)

"I activate Dust Barrier," continued Lareth, as he played a Continuous Spell Card. "For as long as this card is on the field, my Normal Monsters are immune to your Spell Cards.

"And I end my turn."

**(T: 7,250) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,500)**

"First, I draw," said Tiberius, making a draw. "Then my facedown card activates…"

His Trap Card lifted up.

"Minefield Eruption. It blasts you for 1,000 points of damage for each Mine Golem I have."

Lareth grunted again, as a second explosion burst around him.

"After that," continued Tiberius, "my Mine Golem is destroyed…"

Mine Golem shattered into shards.

"…but thanks to Guidance to Ore, my third one comes out quickly."

A third Mine Golem materialized where the first two had been. (1,000 ATK)

"And I'm just getting started! I sacrifice Mine Golem for Criosphinx…"

Mine Golem turned into an orb of light, and the orb gave way to the ram-headed sphinx. (1,200 ATK)

"And then, I sacrifice Criosphinx…"

Criosphinx turned into another orb of light.

"Come forth, Exxod, Master of the Guard!"

With a rumble, the giant statue of Exodia rose out of the earth, looming over the field and crossing its arms. (4,000 DEF)

"I set one card facedown," continued Tiberius, as a set card appeared, "and my turn is over."

**(T: 7,250) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,500)**

All through Tiberius's turn, Lareth was chuckling long and softly. Then he coughed again.

"Bad cough he has there," said Lorelei.

"The air around here isn't exactly pure," said Hape.

Lareth made a draw. He looked at it and added it to his hand.

"I activate… Battle Mania!" exclaimed Tiberius, as his facedown card lifted up. "Now that pathetic Monster of yours has no choice but to attack this round."

And then Lareth truly laughed.

"What's so funny?" asked Tiberius.

"You're the one who's pathetic," said Lareth. "My Monster had every intention of attacking that oversized paperweight."

"He's lost his mind…" said Lorelei. "Jerry Beans Man could never defeat Exxod…"

She looked at Hape, who was looking at Lareth intently.

"Uh… Could it?"

Lareth flipped a card on his Disk, and his facedown Monster flipped into Attack Mode. Acrobat Monkey jumped into position next to Jerry Beans Man. (1,000 ATK)

"Next, I Equip Jerry Beans Man with the Amulet of Ambition," said Lareth.

He played the card, and a golden amulet with an eye in the center appeared on Jerry Beans Man.

"This Equip Spell can only be Equipped to Normal Monsters," he explained. "When the Equipped Monster battles a higher-Level Monster, it gains 500 Attack Points times the difference in the two Monsters' Levels."

"Wait…" said Lorelei, her eyes opening wide. "Jerry Beans Man is Level 3… Exxod is Level 8… That means…"

"It means that Exxod is in serious trouble, that's what it means…" said Hape.

Jerry Beans Man frowned, and then flew towards the huge statue, its sword held high. Its Attack Score rose to 4,250.

It slammed its sword against Exxod's forehead with a blow so solid that the ground shook…

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then the Master of the Guard started to tremble, as cracks started to appear all over it.

To Tiberius's disbelief, it collapsed into a pile of rubble.

"Acrobat Money," commanded Lareth, "attack the upstart directly with acrobatic leap!"

The robotic primate leapt at Tiberius, did a flip, and then kicked him in the chest. Tiberius hollered in pain, and fell over.

"Still think my Monsters are pathetic, upstart?" asked Lareth.

Tiberius didn't answer. The painful attack had quite knocked the wind out of him. He slowly got up.

_This is worse than any Shadow Duel I can create, _he thought. _His sanity may have degenerated, but his power has clearly gotten much stronger._

Lareth coughed again and then cleared his throat again.

"You know…" he said, looking down on his Duel Disk, "the lore for Jerry Bean Man's card says that Jerry believes himself to be the strongest warrior in the world.

"It isn't true most of the time, but when Equipped with Amulet of Ambition, it's almost the truth. There's almost no Monster that Jerry Beans Man can't defeat in battle using it.

"F.G.D… Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon… Even Obelisk the Tormentor! This Monster can best all of them. The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"There's no way that thing could beat Obelisk!" shouted Lorelei.

"Actually, it would," said Hape. "In a battle between Jerry Beans Man and the Obelisk, Jerry would gain 4,500 Attack Points, more than enough to defeat it unless Obelisk also had something to increase its Attack Score.

"Lareth's Monsters may look funny, but his strategy is sound."

"Your move, upstart," said Lareth.

**(T: 6,250) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,500)**

Tiberius looked at the one card he had left, and then made a draw.

It was Pot of Avarice.

_Good, _he thought. _Due to my earlier strategy with those Mine Golems, I have just enough Monsters in my Graveyard to use this. _

He quickly played it, and took all three Mine Golems, Exxod, and Criosphinx from his Graveyard. He shuffled them into his deck, and made two draws.

He took one, and set it on his Disk. A concealed Monster appeared.

He nodded.

"My move…" said Lareth, making a draw.

"And unfortunately, because this is my second Standby Phase since I played Dust Barrier, its power is exhausted…"

The Dust Barrier card shattered.

"So my Monsters are vulnerable to Spells again… If that matters…

"Jerry Beans Man, attack!"

The bean warrior flew at the concealed card…

Then Giant Solider of Stone appeared on it. (2,000 DEF) Jerry was knocked backwards.

"It's not as easy as you think," said Tiberius. "Giant Soldier of Stone is Level 3, so Jerry gains no Attack Points by attacking it."

"Very well…" said Lareth. "Acrobat Monkey moves to Defense Mode then…"

The mechanical monkey knelt and crossed its arms. (1,800 DEF)

"And it's your move…"

**(T: 6,250) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,250)**

Tiberius made a draw.

He smirked.

_That's the ticket… _he thought.

"I summon the Tuner Monster, Grandfather Plaque!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a large plaque shaped like the face of an old man with a beard appeared next to Giant Soldier of Stone. (1,000 ATK)

"Now, I Tune my two Monsters together…"

The two Rocks turned into seven stars, and flew into the dark sky of Nulb.

"What strange sorcery is this?" exclaimed Lareth.

"Oh, that's right…" said Tiberius. "Twenty years ago, Synchro Monsters were nothing more than a proposal on Pegasus' desk.

"Well, let me give you a crash course…"

**(*4 + *3 = *7)**

"I Synchro Summon… Infernal Scissorfist Golem!"

The ground trembled, and then split. A large golem burst out of the ground, one shaped like a humanoid, albeit a paunchy one, with an ugly face. Its right hand wasn't a hand, but two sharp, pointed stalactites. (2,200 ATK)

"You forget…" said Lareth. "My Monster gains 500 points times the difference in our Monsters Levels. That Monster couldn't possibly be Level 3…"

"It's Level 7, actually," replied Tiberius. "But first thing's first. Because I used Grandfather Plaque to Synchro Summon it, I gain 1,000 Life Points."

An aura of golden motes surrounded him.

"Next," he continued. "I remove Giant Soldier of Stone from play to summon The Rock Spirit in Defense Mode."

Another Monster appeared in front of him, this one a rocky humanoid wearing armor and a Spartan helmet, holding a ruby mace. It knelt, and held the mace in its lap. (1,000 DEF)

"Now, I use one of Infernal Scissorfist Golem's effects," he continued. "By sending one card in my hand to the Graveyard, it forces all Monsters except itself to switch Modes."

He discarded the last card in his hand, a Dummy Golem. Jerry Beans Man knelt and covered itself. (0 DEF) Acrobat Monkey leapt into Attack Mode. (1,000 ATK) The Rock Spirit stood up and aimed its mace. (1,700 ATK)

Lorelei crossed her arms and looked smugly at Hape.

"I taught him that move!" she said.

"I heard that, Lorelei!" said Tiberius. "What you mean is, I always kick your ass with that move when we duel!

"Now to the business at hand… Infernal Scissorfist Golem, attack Jerry Beans Man with Terra Spear!"

The demonic golem lunged, stabbing at Jerry with its stalactite hand and blowing it to shards.

"ARGH!" shouted Lareth.

He broke into a fit of coughing, and clutched his chest.

"Oh, I forgot to mention…" continued Tiberius, "Infernal Scissorfist Golem _also _has a trampling effect…

"Now for that tin ape…"

The Rock Spirit's eyes glowed, and it lifted its mace. Two boulders rose out of the ground; it ordered them forward, and they slammed into Acrobat Monkey, crushing it.

"I end my turn," said Tiberius. "Seems your big strategy was a big bust…"

**(T: 7,250) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,350)**

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Lareth.

"What's so funny?" asked Tiberius. "Why are you cackling like a psycho?"

"Because he _is_ one," replied Lorelei.

"You think that I'm vanquished so easily?" asked Lareth.

"In a word, yes," replied Tiberius. "When Jerry Beans Man went to the Graveyard, that Equip Spell went with it."

"But it didn't stay there…" said Lareth.

He coughed again, and then drew a card.

"Amulet of Ambition has another effect…" he said, turning the card around. "When it goes to the Graveyard, I can move it to the top of my deck…

"And now my Trap Card activates…"

His facedown card which he had set on his first turn lifted up.

"Birthright! Now I can bring Jerry Beans Man back as well…"

Jerry appeared again in an aura of light. (1,750 ATK)

"And that's not all," he continued. "I not only Equip him with Amulet of Ambition, but with a second Equip Spell…"

He played two cards.

"Demotion!"

"Oh no…" said Hape. "That will decrease Jerry's Level to one, making the gap between its Level and the Levels of Tiberius's Monsters even greater." 

"That's right!" laughed Lareth. "Your Infernal Scissorfist Golem is now six Levels higher than he is…"

Jerry Beans Man flew at the rocky Synchro.

"…so this is going to hurt… _bad…"_

Jerry's Attack Score shot up to 4,750. Tiberius braced himself as his Monster exploded into a practical storm of rocky shards.

**(T: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,350)**

"Heh… Your move…" said Lareth.

Tiberius held his chest and took some deep breaths.

"I… I draw one card…" he said, as he made a draw.

He looked at it. He quickly set it in his Disk, and it appeared in his Spell Zone. He nodded.

Lareth grinned.

"That's the worst bluff I've ever!" he said with a laugh.

He made a draw.

"I summon Mad Lobster!"

He played the card and a burst of watery bubbles appeared, giving way to a large lobster with a skull for a face. (1,700 ATK)

"Jerry Beans Man, attack The Rock Spirit!"

Jerry flew at the Spirit, its Attack Score rising to 3,250.

"I activate Stone Tell!" exclaimed Tiberius, as his Trap Card lifted up. "Now my Rock Spirit isn't destroyed by battle…

"And due to its effect, The Rock Spirit gains 300 Attack Points during your Battle Phase."

The Rock Spirit stood its ground as the candy fighter approached. (2,000 ATK) It grunted as it parried the blow with its mace.

"But you still take damage," replied Lareth.

Tiberius clutched his chest again.

**(T: 3,450) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,350)**

"Due to another effect of Stone Tell," said Tiberius, "I get to draw one card."

He made a draw.

"What else have you got?"

"For now, that's all," said Lareth. "But you can only have so many rocks…"

Tiberius drew a card.

"I summon… Counselor Lily!" he exclaimed.

In a burst of light, a very unlikely Monster appeared. It was a woman with white wings on her back, dressed in a white formal jacket. She had long, auburn hair, wore glasses, and held a clipboard and a pen. (400 ATK)

"Wait…" said Lareth. "That's Injection Fairy Lily…"

"Not anymore," replied Tiberius. "A lot has happened since you've been gone. She went by that name when she was younger, and she was a nurse. But she received a promotion to an administrative position, and is a counselor now. And with that promotion, she became a Tuner.

"I Tune Lily and The Rock Spirit together…"

Lily flew into the sky with the elemental spirit following. The two slowly dissolved into a cluster of glowing stars.

"_Elemental forces combine to form a warrior of stone with a heart of burning fire that sears the flesh of the unprepared!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Infernal Fluton Golem!"_

Again, the ground split, and another golem burst out of the ground. It had the same basic shape as Infernal Scissorfist Golem, but its eyes glowed red, and instead of two stalactites, its right arm was taken up by a huge fire opal that glowed with a hellish light. (2,400 ATK)

"First, I use Lily's effect," continued Tiberius, "which is a reflection of what it was when she was Injection Fairy Lily. Since she was used to Synchro Summon this Monster, I can pay 500 Life Points to increase its Attack Score by 1,000 until the End Phase of the turn."

(3,400 ATK)

"Next, I use my Fluton's effect… It's similar to Thunder Giant's… Ergo, by discarding one card, it can destroy a Monster with an Attack Score lower than its own."

He discarded the other card in his hand, and the Golem's eyes glowed with sinister light. Jerry Beans Man shattered into pixels.

"And now I attack! Stew that Mad Lobster with Fluton Flamethrower!"

The Fluton aimed its gemstone hand and blasted a wave of superhot fire, incinerating the Mad Lobster.

"Bah!" cursed Lareth.

He coughed again, coughing up phlegm. He spit on the ground.

"I end my turn," said Tiberius, "which means my Monster's Attack Score returns to 2,400… It's your move…"

**(T: 2,950) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 1,650)**

"My move!" snarled Lareth, as he made a draw.

"Once again, Amulet of Ambition returned to the top of my deck, so I have it again…

"And now, I play Dark Factory of Mass Production!"

He played the card, and took Jerry Beans Man and Mad Lobster from his discard slot.

Then he quickly played a card, and Jerry Beans Man appeared again. (1,750 ATK)

"I'm really getting sick of that guy…" said Lorelei.

Lareth grunted, and played Amulet of Ambition again, once again Equipping it to Jerry Beans Man.

"Get that thing out of my sight!" he ordered.

Jerry Beans Man flew at Infernal Fluton Golem…

"Not this time!" shouted Tiberius.

As he said that, Jerry was halted by a wall of pure darkness.

"HOW?" shouted Lareth.

"I used the effect of the Monster I discarded when I used Fluton's effect," said Tiberius, as he pocketed a card. "Necro Gardna. A useful card that can block an attack from the Graveyard.

"I believe Yukai Judai used it… Ironically, his most powerful Monsters were the ones that _weren't _his Heroes."

Lareth had a completely blank look on his face…

"I… end my turn…" he said.

"Very well…" said Tiberius, as he drew a card.

"I discard this card to use Infernal Fluton's Golem's effect again…"

Jerry Beans Man shattered into pixels again.

"Attack him directly, my Golem! Fluton Flamethrower!"

Lareth barely reacted as the wave of flames hit him…

Then he fell to his knees…

**(T: 2,950) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 0)**

There was silence for a few minutes.

"Well, Lareth?" said Tiberius, at last.

"Perhaps you aren't the upstart I believed…" said Lareth.

He stood up.

"This Synchro Summoning… It is powerful magic indeed… I must learn more…"

"Hmm…" said Hape. "That last direct attack seems to have knocked some sense into him."

"You won't have a choice," said Lorelei. "Synchro Summoning is an essential part of Duel Monsters these days. If you want to keep dueling, you _must _learn how it works."

"But it's very easy to learn," said Tiberius. "If you are willing to join us, we will take you back… You can regain your former glory, Lareth… As the Champion of Elemental Evil…"

"You know the way out of here?" asked Lareth.

"I can open the portal back to Earth at any time," said Hape.

Lareth looked at Tiberius. He coughed one more time.

Then he extended his hand.

_A long lost face returns to the Darkness today… _thought Tiberius, as the two Doomdreamers shook hands. _With the Champion of Elemental Evil back among us, a chance of freedom for the Dark God now exists…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GUIDANCE TO ORE (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **A cave opening in a craggy mountainside.

**Card Description: **When a face-up Rock-Type Monster you control is destroyed, you may Special Summon 1 Monster with the same name as the destroyed Monster from your deck.

_Note: "Guidance to Ore" was first used by Iwamaru in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "J-Dawg and T-Bone". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GRANDFATHER PLAQUE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be used for a Synchro Summon except for the summoning of a Rock-Type Synchro Monster. When this card is used for a Synchro Summon and sent to the Graveyard, increase your Life Points by 1,000.

_Note: "Grandfather Plague" was first used in "Power Primordial"_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INFERNAL SCISSORFIST GOLEM**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Rock-Type Monsters_

This card is also considered a Fiend-Type Monster. Once per turn, you can discard one card from your hand to switch the battle positions of all face-up Monsters on the field except this card. During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position Monster who's DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INFERNAL FLUTON GOLEM**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Rock-Type Monsters_

This card is also considered a Fiend-Type Monster. Once per turn, you can discard one card from your hand to destroy 1 face-up Monster with an Attack Score lower than the Attack Score of this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Jalal: Edgar has done his job, now someone else must investigate the location in Montreal that Dugan uncovered. **_

_**Most people don't think much of Canada, thinking that the only thing it has going for it is hockey. But Canada is much, much more. It's the United States biggest trade partner, one of the world's top ten trading nations, and one of the wealthiest nations in the world. A land of precious ore and valuable resources, it's more important than most people think. **_

_**Shadowchasers are needed here too, but since the population density isn't as much as America or Europe, members of our organization are more spread out. I'm sending Penelope to investigate this place… Her choice of deck strategy is unusual, but like the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, she always gets her man. **_

"_**The Android Athletes; Rebellious Outsider" is coming soon.**_


	30. The Android Athletes

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Android Athletes**

**Rebellious Outsider**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"It's not much," said Tiberius, as they entered the rec room that they had left from, "but it passes as our headquarters…"

Lareth took a deep breath.

"Air conditioning…" he muttered. "I had forgotten what it was like…"

"Now, if there's anything we can get you…" said Tiberius.

"Come to think of it," replied Lareth, "you got anything to eat? I ran out of rations and canned goods ten years ago… After that, those accursed peaches were the only food I had, and they don't taste all too good…"

Lorelei grinned.

"This way…" she said. "I'll have the cook make you the biggest steak he has. Then you can shower, and we'll see about some new clothes… And maybe get a doctor here too…"

"And once that's done, I have a surprise," said Tiberius. "Make yourself at home…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Montreal.

It was the largest city in the Quebec Province, and the second-largest in Canada. Some people called it "Canada's Cultural Capital". It was a city of stunning architecture and beautiful design.

It was rare that Shadow-related threats worse than the run-o-the-mill gang of goblin toughs ever came here, but with the information uncovered by the Yokai crimelord, one of Canada's resident Shadowchasers had come to Montreal, specifically to the upscale borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville.

Her name was Penelope; she didn't use her last name, as she didn't advertise her father's name. She was a half-elf, and her father was an elven noble of some importance. She didn't want to stand out among anyone else.

It was getting chilly in the Province this time of year, so she was wearing jeans and a blazer. Only Aware humans and Shadowkind would see the hand crossbow and decorated panpipe on her belt.

She looked at the address she had written down on her mobile, and then looked at the large house in front of her. It was a very retro-modern structure, quite out of place in this old-fashioned neighborhood.

_Seems to be the place… _she thought.

She walked up to the front gate, where a "Beware of the Dog" sign had been posted. As she opened it, she heard a fierce growl.

The creature in front of her was clearly not a dog, although Mundane humans would likely see it as a very vicious one. It was a bestial Shadowkind called a displacer beast. It looked like a large puma, with six legs and two long, barbed tentacles sprouting from its shoulders.

This was all she needed to confirm her suspicions that something uncouth was going on here. Displacer beasts were not the best pets; they made pit bulls look like French poodles. They hated most other forms of life, and were very dangerous to confront, due to a special supernatural ability they had. When excited, a type of illusion was projected that made them appear to be a few feet away from where they actually were (hence the name).

Penelope noticed that it was wearing a collar attached to a leash with enough slack to give it free reign of the front yard, but not enough to get out. And it would clearly attack if she took a step further…

Well, there was no point in using her crossbow on it. She had a better way that her father had taught her. She took the panpipe off her belt, and started to play a haunting melody.

The displacer beast stopped growling. Then it yawned. Then it curled up and fell asleep.

"Just like a very ugly kitty-cat," muttered Penelope.

She walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

After about a minute, the door opened. A male dark elf answered, and looked at the sleeping displacer beast in disbelief.

"You Nasquet?" asked Penelope.

"Yes…" he said, "uh…"

"Shadowchasers," said Penelope. "I'd like to look around your place… There are reports of some suspicious activity here.

"Listen," said the dark elf, "I'm kind of busy, so unless you have a…"

"Search warrant?" asked Penelope.

She held up a piece of paper with the authorized signature.

"And might I add," she continued, "you need both an animal handler's license and a permit from Shadowchaser Headquarters to own a displacer beast. It is a _very _dangerous creature.

"But we'll get into that after I have a look at your premises…"

"Be my guest…" said Nasquet, with a scowl.

Penelope walked in.

"Can I get you something?" asked the dark elf, still somewhat irked. "Juice? Seltzer? Soda? Beer?"

"No thank you…" said Penelope, looking around.

It seemed that this guy was pretty well off. The living room had a complete home entertainment system, leather couches, and even a wet bar.

Her eyes turned towards a door towards the far end of the room.

She opened it, and her eyes opened wide in surprise.

It was a trophy room, the walls covered with shelves full of sports paraphernalia. Balls, bats, pennants, cards, and photographs were everywhere, much of it all autographed. She had never seen a collection this big.

A desktop computer was on a desk at the far wall in front of a confortable-looking swivel chair. Its screensaver was on right now, the old "winged toasters" pattern.

Then her eyes narrowed.

She grabbed the crossbow off her belt and turned around. Nasquet was trying to sneak up on her with a baseball bat.

"Drop it now," she said.

The dark elf shrugged and dropped it.

"I wouldn't have wanted to risk cracking it anyway," he said. "It was signed by Derek Jeter in 2012."

"I've never seen a dark elf with such an interest in sports' memorabilia," said Penelope.

"Dark elf society is matriarchal…" replied Nasquet. "The females control everything. The only sport where females get equal billing is tennis. As a result, viewing sporting events isn't all too popular in dark elf communities…

"Some people ask folks like me why we take it… Why don't we just leave? Well, most of us say, where would we go? Most folks don't like dark elves. We'd be nothing outside our clans…

"But me… Long ago, I found a god even more powerful that Lolth, and following him gave me what I needed to cut my ties with my old clan… I'm my own dark elf now… And I'm free to have any hobby I want. Free to watch Monday Night Football, and pursue this hobby, which I've been doing for decades."

"So I see…" said Penelope.

Penelope noticed that he was wearing a Duel Disk, which he was now adjusting. Then she heard a beeping noise, and the door slammed shut.

"What's going on?" she said.

"I'm not about to let you leave after you've seen my collection," said Nasquet. "Kill me with that crossbow if you want, you'll never open the door, and you'll never get a signal with any cell phone… You'll starve in this room, which is not only my trophy room, but an altar to the Elder Elemental Eye…

"You have no choice now but to play by his rules…"

"I duel you, and if I win, you the doors will open?" asked Penelope. "And I suppose that if I lose…"

"The altar counts you out, permanently," said Nasquet. "I should warn you, I'm not the typical duelist."

"Neither am I," said Penelope.

She put the crossbow back on her belt, and activated her Duel Disk.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Penelope: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Nasquet: 8,000)**

"Since I'm sure you, more than anyone, is pretty sick of the old 'ladies first' tradition," said Penelope, "you may go first."

"Funny…" said Nasquet, as he made a draw. "Stupid, but funny…

"You, know, despite what I said earlier, I have nothing against tennis… Gives you a stiff neck when you watch it live, but still entertaining…

"To show you, I play the Spell Card, Service Ace!"

He quickly threw the card into his Disk.

"It works as follows… I take one card from my hand…"

He chose another card.

"…and you try to guess what kind of card it is, Spell, Trap, or Monster. Guess wrong, and you take 1,500 points of damage."

"Uh…" said Penelope.

This was new… Clearly he _wasn't _the typical duelist.

"If it helps, I'll have to remove the card from play later," said Nasquet.

Penelope looked at him hard.

_If that's the case, _she thought, _he's probably using it on a Monster, so he can Special Summon it with Escape from the Dark Dimension or something…_

"I guess it's a Monster," she said.

Nasquet grinned. He turned it around, revealing that it was a Spell.

"They always do…" he said.

A blast of energy shot out of Service Ace, hitting Penelope in the chest. She grunted as the powerful blow hit her.

_I actually felt that! _she thought. _He wasn't kidding… This is real…_

"Now, we'll put this away for now," said Nasquet, as he pocketed the card, "and then I set a Monster, and one facedown card."

Two hidden cards appeared in front of him.

"That will end my turn."

**(P: 6,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 8,000)**

Penelope made a draw, and looked over her cards.

"I summon Etoile Cyber," she said.

She played the card, and a feminine figure leapt onto the field. She was a tall woman with flowing chestnut hair, dressed in red and blue spandex, with a mask over the left side of her face and ribbons encircling her arms. (1,200 ATK)

"Attack!" she shouted.

Etoile Cyber spun a pirouette, and then leapt at the hidden Monster…

But then she was propelled backwards. Battle Footballer was crouching on the card. (2,100 ATK)

"Seems he was a little too tough for your ballerina to handle," said Nasquet.

"Yeah?" said Penelope.

She played a Spell Card.

"By playing Supremacy Berry, I gain back 2,000 Life Points.

"I set one card, and it's your move…"

A set card appeared in her Spell Zone, and she glared at him.

**(P: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 8,000)**

"Draw…" said Nasquet, making a draw.

"Now, the card I removed from play last turn was this one…"

He held up a Spell Card.

"Card from a Different Dimension…" said Penelope.

"That's right," said Nasquet. "That means it returns to my hand this round, and we both make two draws."

The two duelists drew twice.

_This has possibilities… _thought Penelope.

"Next, I play Card Destruction!" exclaimed Nasquet, as he played a Spell Card.

Penelope scowled. She discarded her hand, and Nasquet did the same. They both made five draws.

"Now, my Trap Card," said Nasquet, as his facedown card lifted up. "Disgraceful Charity. This lets both players get back the cards we just discarded."

Penelope looked at him funny. Five cards slipped out of her discard slot, and she took them. He did the same.

"Now let's use them," he said. "Time for a new sport… I summon Battle Baseballer."

"HUH?" said Penelope.

As Nasquet played the card, another android appeared next to Battle Footballer. It was taller and thinner, wearing a green baseball uniform with black trim. Its right arm looked like the business end of a pitching machine. (1,700 ATK)

"I've never even heard of Battle Baseballer…" said Penelope.

"Wait until you hear what it can do," replied Nasquet. "But I'll save its effect for when it matters.

"For now… In baseball, intentionally beaning a player is frowned upon, but here, it's encouraged.

"Attack Etoile Cyber! Blazing fastball!"

Battle Baseballer took a pitching stance, and wound up…

"I activate… Doble Passe!" shouted Penelope, as her facedown card lifted up.

Battle Baseballer fired a ball from its arm-cannon.

"It turns your attack into a direct attack…"

She stopped short as the fiery baseball knocked her upside the head and she was knocked down.

"That hurt…" she groaned. "But now, Etoile Cyber gets a direct attack on you…"

The Cyber Girl leapt at Nasquet…

"…and when she attacks directly, she gains 500 Attack Points!"

(1,700 ATK)

Nasquet grunted as the dancer kicked him in the chest.

"Yeah, well I'm not done…" he replied. "Let's get back to tennis, shall we?"

He played another Spell Card.

"It's called Smash Ace. I flip the top card on my deck, and if it's a Monster, you take 1,000 points of damage."

He took the top card from his deck.

He smirked and turned it around. The orange border confirmed that it was a Monster. Penelope grunted as a blast of energy like the one from Service Ace hit her.

"I'll get rid of this," said Nasquet, as he pocketed the Monster Card, "and then throw three cards facedown."

Three cards appeared in his Spell Zone with three flashes of light.

"And I end my turn…"

**(P: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 6,300)**

Penelope made a draw.

_Good grief, I have eleven cards here, _she thought, _but I'm missing a vital one._

"I summon Sacred Knight Joan," she said.

Several cards had been based on the St. Joan of Arc, but the female Warrior that appeared was likely intended to represent her as a mortal woman. She was dressed in shining plate armor with gold trim, with winged shoulder guards and wings on her helmet. (1,900 ATK)

"She has to give up 300 Attack Points when she attacks," continued Penelope, "so I'll set three of my own cards…"

She fit three cards into her Disk, and three facedown cards appeared.

"I move Etoile Cyber to Defense Mode…"

Etoile Cyber knelt on one knee, and crossed her arms over her chest. (1,600 DEF)

"…and my turn is over… Unfortunately, because my hand now consists of seven cards, that means I must now send one of them to the Graveyard."

_And I know the perfect one, _she thought, as she chose one of them.

She quickly discarded it.

Nasquet made a draw. Then he grinned.

"Time to call out the rest of my team," he said. "I first play D.D.R. – Different Dimension Reincarnation."

He played the card, and discarded another.

"Now I can bring back the Monster I removed from play when I played Smash Ace. Meet Battle Basketballer!"

Another android appeared in front of him, this one very tall and slender, wearing a brown basketball jersey. It was spinning a silver-colored basketball on its finger. (1,500 ATK)

_This is weird… _thought Penelope.

"Next," said Nasquet, as one of his facedown cards lifted up, "I activate Call of the Haunted, to summon the Monster I just discarded… My Battle Slapshooter."

Another robotic athlete appeared in a flash of light. This one wore a blue hockey jersey, ice skates, padding, a helmet and mask, and carried a hockey stick. (1,200 ATK)

"They all play different sports," said Penelope. "How can they all be part of the same team?"

"Because of their effects," replied Nasquet. "They all support each other, the way a team should.

"Battle Baseballer protects all of them except himself from Trap Cards that target specific Monsters.

"Battle Basketballer does the same thing with Spell Cards, while Battle Slapshooter protects all of them except himself from targeting Monster effects.

"Battle Footballer has no effect and the weakest Attack Score, but he's protected by all three effects, so it evens out.

"Speaking of which…"

Battle Footballer stood up, and moved to Attack Mode. (1,000 ATK)

"Well, they're gonna need some help to beat Joan…" said Penelope.

She sighed heavily.

_I just know I'm gonna regret saying that… _she thought.

Another of Nasquet's facedown cards lifted up.

"I activate Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!" he shouted. "It's not an easy word to say, and not an easy Trap to use, but because I have a Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water Monster, use it I can…

"I can now choose one of four options…

"And I think I'll use the one that lets me wipe out your Monsters…"

Penelope braced herself as both Etoile Cyber and Sacred Knight Joan shattered into pixels.

_Figures, _thought the Shadowchaser, as a bead of sweat dripped down her brow. _His deck may reflect his love of sports, but he's still a loyal follower of the Elder Elemental Eye…_

"Still there?" asked Nasquet.

"Hanging onto every word…" said Penelope, nervously.

"Of course, there's always the chance that one of your facedown cards is a Mirror Force," said Nasquet. "But I have one more Monster to summon…

"Come on out, Combat Cheerleader!"

Rallying music started to play, and a very feminine android appeared next to the four robotic athletes. She had the general appearance of a teenage girl with shorts and a midriff, hair tied in pigtails, holding a pair of pom-poms. (0 ATK)

"Now I've seen everything…" muttered Penelope, in disbelief.

"Combat Cheerleader not only protects my four Battle Machines from all card effects that don't specifically target," continued Nasquet, "she grants them 1,000 extra Attack Points."

Battle Footballer rose to an Attack Score of 2,700, Battle Footballer to 2,000, Battle Basketballer to 2,500, and Battle Slapshooter to 2,200.

"Farewell, Shadowchaser…" he said. "Battle Footballer, you first… Attack directly with blitz tackle!"

Battle Footballer made a rush at Penelope.

"I activate... Karma Cut!" she shouted, as one of her facedown cards lifted up.

She discarded a card.

"I toss one card, and one of your Monsters is 'cut' out of the game."

"It will only work on Battle Baseballer, so it won't save you!" laughed Nasquet.

"It will work on someone else too…" replied Penelope.

Then Nasquet realized what Penelope meant. He turned his head just in time to see Combat Cheerleader vanish. All four of the other Machines lost the 1,000 point bonus.

Penelope managed to stay standing as Battle Footballer plowed into her. She glared at Nasquet again…

The dark elf turned to the other three.

"Get her…" he said, bitterly.

Battle Baseballer fired another burning fastball, knocking her upside the head. Battle Basketballer rammed into her with its shoulder. Then Battle Slapshooter skated up and slammed her hard with its stick. She fell over…

**(P: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 6,300)**

"What the?" shouted Nasquet. "How did you…"

"Survive?" replied Penelope. "I had two other facedown cards… One of them was Emergency Provisions… I chained it to send Karma Cut and the other card to the Graveyard to gain 2,000 Life Points right before your attacks hit…"

She took some deep breaths. Then she got up.

"Now, it's my move…" she said.

She drew a card. As she did, a fiendish, feminine form with black, feathered wings appeared behind her.

"Marie the Fallen One?" shouted Nasquet.

"That's right," said Penelope, as the image vanished. "I discarded her when I had seven cards in my hand. As a result, I gain 200 Life Points per round."

She looked at the card she had drawn.

_Finally, _she thought.

"I summon Horse of the Floral Knights," she said.

She played the card, and a beautiful mare with fancy barding and saddle appeared in front of her. (400 ATK)

"By doing so, I get to draw one card…"

She made a draw.

"Next, I play Polymerization," she said, as she played the familiar Fusion card, "fusing it together with Sacred Knight's Spearholder…"

A young woman in armor holding a spear appeared, and then she and the horse were drawn into a vortex of light…

"I summon Centaurumina!"

With a battlecry, a large figure half-leapt and half-galloped onto the field. Like a feminine version of Rabid Horseman, she was a fierce female knight from the waist up, holding a sword and shield and wearing armor, with flowing red hair, and from the waist down was a powerful horse wearing barding. (2,200 ATK)

"So there are female centaurs?" asked Nasquet.

"Of course there are female centaurs," replied Penelope. "Where do you think young centaurs come from? Besides, haven't you ever seen _Fantasia?"_

"I don't watch many movies…" replied Nasquet. "Although I did see _The Natural _once."

"Figures…" said Penelope. "Centaurumina, attack his Battle Footballer!"

The she-centaur charged at the android linebacker…

"I activate Dimensional Prison!" shouted Nasquet, as his last facedown card started to lift up.

"Oh no you don't," replied Penelope. "I use Centaurumina's effect…"

Centaurumina stamped down on the Trap Card with her front hooves, forcing it back into set position.

"Now where were we?" continued Penelope. "Oh yes…"

Centaurumina cut downward with her blade, cutting Battle Footballer in half, lengthwise.

"Ergh…" grunted Nasquet, clutching his chest.

"I set one card, and end my turn," said Penelope, as a facedown card appeared. "You may be ahead on points, but it's not too late for me to turn this game around in the late innings."

**(P: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 5,100)**

"My move…" growled Nasquet.

He drew a card.

_Darn… _he thought.

Battle Baseballer knelt and shielded itself in Defense Mode. (1,100 DEF) Battle Basketballer followed suit (1,400 DEF) and Battle Slapshooter followed. (1,800 DEF)

"Make your move," he said.

"Draw," said Penelope, making a draw. "I gain 200 Life Points from Marie…"

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Dust Tornado!" she shouted.

A tornado ripped across the field, blowing the Dimensional Prison card to pieces.

"Next, I play The Warrior Returning Alive," she said, as she played a Spell Card.

She took Sacred Knight Joan from her discard slot. Then she threw the card on her Disk, and she appeared once again. (1,900 ATK)

"Joan, send Battle Baseballer to the showers!" she exclaimed.

The Sacred Knight swung her sword, and the android pitching machine exploded into debris.

"Centaurumina, attack Battle Slapshooter! Graceful Blade!"

The centaur made a swing with her weapon, cutting the robotic jock in twain.

"This could turn into a bad turnover," she continued, as she fit another card into her Disk, causing a set card to appear in her Spell Zone.

"I don't think so…" said Nasquet, with a grin. "Trust me, we're going into overtime…"

**(P: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 5,100)**

Nasquet made a draw.

"Got it!" he exclaimed.

He picked another card from his hand.

"First, I summon a second Battle Footballer," he said.

Another of the bulky androids appeared next to Battle Basketballer. (1,000 ATK)

"Then, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Battle Basketballer and Battle Footballer vanished into dark orbs.

"To summon my Dark Umpire!"

Penelope stepped back in shock as a robot even more hulking than Battle Footballer stepped forward onto the field. It stood ten feet tall and five feet wide, dressed in an outfit that was a combination of an umpire's pad and armor. Underneath its mask, only two red, glowing optic sensors could be seen. (2,400 ATK)

Dark Umpire lifted its hand, and then brought it down, flattening Centaurumina with one smash.

"Ergh!" groaned Penelope.

"Your filly has been thrown out of the game," said Nasquet. "And when Dark Umpire destroys a Fusion, Ritual, or Synchro Monster, I get to take a Trap Card from my deck…"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he looked at it.

"However, I'm not allowed to set it this turn.

And there's more… During each Standby Phase, the turn player can use Dark Umpire's effect to destroy as many Monsters as needed until both players have the same number. He likes to keep things even.

"I end my turn…"

Penelope looked at Dark Umpire.

**(P: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 5,100)**

_Well, I can't use that effect this Standby Phase… _she thought.

She drew a card.

_That's the one… _she thought.

"I gain 200 Life Points from Marie," she said. "Then I activate… Call of the Haunted!"

Her facedown card lifted up, and Centaurumina reappeared. (2,200 ATK)

She gave Nasquet a dirty look; clearly, she had taken offense to being called a filly.

"Next," she continued, as she played a Spell Card, "I play Star Blast… I'll pay 1,000 Life Points to reduce Command Knight's Level from 4 to 2."

"Huh?" said Nasquet. "Why? That Monster can be summoned without a Tribute as it is."

"You'll see in a minute," said Penelope. "For now, I summon Fleur Synchron."

A small creature leapt onto the field. It looked like a large tulip bulb with hands, feet, and a face, but made of metal foil. (400 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together Fleur Synchron and Centaurumina…"

The two Monsters leapt into the air, and dissolved into a cluster of stars…

"_Let the horns sound and the whistles blow! Vive la Revolution! Lead me to victory!"_

**(*2 + *6 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Chevalier de Fleur!"_

The stars turned into a flurry of flower blossoms. Standing in the middle of them was a tall and very effeminate Warrior. She wore armor, a pink cape, and a helmet with a large, pink plume. She held a long rapier. (2,700 ATK)

"Now we get into why I downgraded Command Knight," continued Penelope. "When Fleur Synchron is used for a Synchro Summon, I get to Special Summon a Level 2 or lower Monster from my hand, and due to that Spell Card, she fits the bill."

In an aura of flaming energy, another female Warrior leapt onto the field. She wore decorated leather armor, a beret, and held a longsword and shield. (1,200 ATK)

"And with her on the field, all my Warriors gain 400 Attack Points."

Chevalier de Fleur's Attack Score rose to 3,100, Joan's to 2,300, and Command Knight herself to 1,600.

"Uh…" said Nasquet.

"I've had about enough of these metal athletes," said Penelope.

Chevalier de Fleur slashed with her rapier, and sparks flew from Dark Umpire's torso. It collapsed, and exploded.

"Maybe you're forgetting one important aspect of sports: sportsmanship. It's the soul of sports as a concept. Something that people like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson believed in. It's something that's important in any competitive contest. And no soulless robot could ever possibly fathom it."

Nasquet didn't respond.

"Speechless, huh?" said Penelope.

She pointed, and Nasquet screamed as Command Knight and Joan's swords stabbed into him.

**(P: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 800)**

"It's your move…" said Penelope.

"Oh, I'll move, all right," said Nasquet.

He made a draw.

"I set this card," he said, setting a card in his Disk, "and then play Silent Doom, to bring Battle Footballer back from the grave in Defense Mode."

The metal linebacker appeared again, crouching in Defense Mode.

"Next I play… Double Spell," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "By getting rid of this now-worthless Spell Card…"

He discarded Card from a Different Dimension.

"…I'm able to use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. And I think I'll use Supremacy Berry."

A golden glow surrounded him.

"It's your move…"

**(P: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 2,800)**

Penelope drew a card.

"Once again, I gain 200 Life Points from Marie," she said. "And it's time for a big finish…

"I sacrifice Command Knight and Sacred Knight Joan…"

The two Warriors turned into an orb of golden energy. Celestial choirs started to sing…

"What's happening?" shouted Nasquet.

"Make way for Guardian Angel Joan!" shouted Penelope.

A beautiful form flew out of the ether. Joan, now in all her angelic glory, dressed in white robes with gold trim, with feathered wings, landed gracefully next to Chevalier de Fleur. (2,800 ATK)

"Chevalier de Fleur, sack that Battle Footballer!" shouted Penelope.

Fleur's rapier fell, and the robot exploded.

"Now, Joan attacks you directly!"

Joan flew at Nasquet…

"Sorry, but I have my ace card!" shouted Nasquet, as his Trap Card lifted up. "Receive Ace! It not only negates this attack, but hits you for 1,500 points of damage…

"So it seems I'll be taking home the purse after all… But it was…"

Then he was startled as Chevalier de Fleur made a swipe with her sword and cut the Trap Card in half. Joan crossed her arms and shook her head, as if to scold him.

"What?" said Nasquet, with sweat pouring down his face.

"Chevalier de Fleur's effect is an improvement on Centaurumina's," replied Penelope. "But she not only negates the Trap, she destroys it."

Joan flew towards Nasquet again.

"NO!" he screamed. "Mercy, please!"

Then he screamed as he was enveloped in Joan's brilliant light. He collapsed.

**(P: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 0)**

Penelope watched. Tendrils of shadow rose from the floor, and started to move towards the dark elf.

_Well, shoot… _she thought. _I could just let them have him…_

_Fortunately for him, I'm the good guy…_

She took the panpipe off her belt, and started to play a very different tune then before. First the shadowy arms stopped…

Then they shuddered. Then they slinked backwards, and vanished entirely.

Nasquet sat up, shaking and drenched in sweat.

"How did you…" he gasped.

"Bardic magic," replied Penelope. "Probably wouldn't have worked if I was the victim, so be glad I was so nice…"

She pinned his arms behind his back, and cuffed them together with a pair of shackles.

"I'm gonna take a look at the files on your computer, before I run you in, kay?" she said. "I'll let you know if I need your help with anything…"

Nasquet sighed.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Late afternoon turned into night, and midnight slowly approached.

In the penthouse apartment used by the Chicago Shadowchasers, Ben was _not _sleeping well…

In his dreams, he found himself in a dark dungeon…

No, not a dungeon… A crypt… Some sort of elaborate tomb. Torches provided dim light, among statues of Anubis, Osiris, and other Egyptian deities associated with the dead.

"So, you're finally here, hero," said a sinister voice.

It was deep and menacing, and barely sounded human.

Ben looked in front of him at the figure half-concealed in the shadows.

He was a tall man, who seemed to exude the shadows he was standing in. He was dressed in a black sleeveless shirt, khaki pants, and a long, black cape held in place with a gold chain, with golden earrings, armbands, and bracelets. Ben noticed the black Obex of Darkness around his neck right away. Possibly his most distinguishing feature was his grey hair, spiked upwards and pointing in all directions.

"I know you…" said Ben, ominously. "You're Marik, aren't you?"

"Marik?" replied the man, as he stepped into the light. "Heh… I suppose I have no choice but to use that name… Even though it belonged to a spineless coward…"

"Oh yeah…" said Ben. "You're his dark side… Some demonic creature that was born from his anger, hatred, and jealousy…

"Nichole and Karl told me that the cult of Tharizdun was using some unholy ritual to bring back dead duelists… Figured you'd turn up somewhere… The whole 'destroy everything' angle suits you just fine."

"Oh?" asked Marik. "How do you know they truly brought me back from the grave, or have successfully done so yet? You're dreaming this, after all… You're in bed in the Shadowchasers' penthouse, slowly dying from the smoke and smog being spewed into the air from the factories in Chicago's industrial district."

Ben glared at him.

"Oh, that's right…" continued Marik. "Toxins and carcinogens have no effect on you. You could smoke four packs of cigarettes a day, and they wouldn't kill you unless you lit up in an elevator full of paramilitaries who hated smokers!"

Ben sighed.

"Yes…" he replied. "I can only die through violence. I can't catch diseases… And even if I die, it's not permanent… What a cruel joke."

"And the joke's not only on you…" added Marik.

"Huh?" said Ben.

"You say I'm the embodiment of wrath, and maybe I am," continued Marik. "Some take that to mean I'm not capable of rational thinking… Well, being dead for so long gave me time to think… I know things… Things that I didn't know before…

"Do you know how many forces in the cosmos are defined by their opposites?"

"What are you talking about?" said Ben, in an annoyed tone.

"Just what I said," replied Marik. "Look at the game of Duel Monsters… Attributes oppose… Fire and Water, Earth and Wind, Light and Dark…

"And in the cosmic Wheel, Good opposes Evil, and Law opposes Chaos… Things are defined by their opposites…

"…and depend on them."

"Depend on them?" asked Ben.

"Remember the joke that the Mean Emcee made when you and Nichole confronted him?" asked Marik, with a grin. "He said, 'If it weren't for guys like me, you Shadowchasers would be out of a job!'

"It was a joke, but there was deeper meaning behind it. If the forces of Good ever completely achieved victory over Evil, how would anyone know Good? The Wheel would be broken, and the cosmos wouldn't work."

"I know all about the Balance of the Universe," said Ben, even more annoyed. "It's what the rilmani fight to protect.

"Look, I didn't come here for some lecture on metaphysics… Truth be told, I have no idea why I'm here at all… Discussing philosophy doesn't seem your style."

"Oh, it gets better," Marik, with an evil grin. "Here are two more opposites that depend on each other… Life and Death."

Ben looked at him hard.

"Well… Sure…" he said, nervously. "There has to be life before there can be death…"

"…and vice-versa," added Marik. "Living things need to eat, after all, and they eat things that were once living. Things have to die before they become food. Don't try to fool yourself by eating vegetables either, because plants are just as alive as animals.

"Even plants need soil to grow in, and the nutrients in soil are made up of decomposed matter, which was once living organisms. From death grows life…"

"Is this conversation going anywhere?" asked Ben.

Marik chuckled.

"You just don't get it, do you?" he said. "What do you think fuels your rebirth every time you die? What do you think is the price that must be paid for you to keep living all these centuries?

"Every time you are reborn, someone somewhere else in the universe perishes. His or her dying energy is what fuels your unnatural rebirth.

"For you to live each time, another must die."

Ben stopped short…

He couldn't say anything for a minute. He had never considered it, but it made sense… Was that what Ravel had meant by "the quiet, violent deaths of the mind, and the pain-taking emptiness"?

"You lie!" he screamed.

Marik shrugged.

"You call me a liar?" he asked. "What reason would I have to speak an untruth?"

He chuckled, and started to walk away into the shadows. Mists started to rise.

"Come back here!" shouted Ben.

"I'm not ready to confront you yet, hero…" said Marik's voice, "but mark my words, I will… Who knows how many lives will have to be sacrificed before then?"

Ben tried to run after him, but he had vanished. All he could hear was the sinister laughter…

Then the laughter stopped. Ben realized something. He was wearing armor, and holding both a mace and a shield. The eerie tomb had vanished. Thick mist was all around him.

Someone was in front of him. Had Marik come back?

The figure hissed. It wasn't Marik, but a troglodyte wearing bone jewelry, armed with a stone axe.

The reptilian soldier charged at him. Forgetting about Marik, Ben stood his ground and prepared to fight this foe, as an old memory started to come back to him…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DISGRACEFUL CHARITY (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Marie the Fallen One holding her claws in front of her, with a glowing card floating between them.

**Card Description: **Both players add to their hands from their Graveyards all cards that they discarded this round due to card effects.

_Note: "Disgraceful Charity" was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode "Clash in the Coliseum (Part 3)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DOBLE PASSE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A ballerina in a red dress dancing.

**Card Description: **Activate when a face-up Attack Position Monster you control becomes the target of an attack by your opponent's Monster. Change the attack to a direct attack. Then, the Monster that was selected as the original attack target attacks your opponent directly.

_Note: "Doble Passe" was one of Asuka's signature cards in "Yu-Gi-Oh GX", first used in "A Duel in Love". Seeing as the card was created with her in mind, creative credit goes to whoever designed the character._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SERVICE ACE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **An explosion in the center of a tennis court.

**Card Description: **Select one card in your hand. Your opponent guesses what Type of card (Monster, Spell, or Trap) the selected card is. If your opponent guesses incorrectly, inflict 1,500 points of damage to your opponent. After the resolution of this effect, remove the selected card from play.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SMASH ACE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A tennis player violently throwing his racket at his opponent.

**Card Description: **Pick up the top card from your deck. If that card is a Monster, inflict 1,000 points of damage to your opponent. After the resolution of this effect, remove the card from play.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RECEIVE ACE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A tennis player rushing to receive an opponent's serve.

**Card Description: **Activate when you are attacked directly by an opponent's Monster. Negate the attack, and inflict 1,500 points of damage to your opponent. After the resolution of this effect, send the top three cards from your deck to the Graveyard.

_Note: "Service Ace", "Smash Ace" and "Receive Ace" were first used by Ayanokouji in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Courting Alexis". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CARD FROM A DIFFERENT DIMNSION (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A strange machine crackling with energy with a Duel Monsters card being created inside.

**Card Description: **If this card is removed from play, return it to the owner's hand during his next Standby Phase. Then, both players draw 2 cards.

_Note: "Card From a Different Dimension" was first used by Kaiser in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Graduation Match (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SACRED KNIGHT SPEARHOLDER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 400

**Card Description: **You can send this card from the field to the Graveyard to add one Equip Spell from your deck to your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HORSE OF THE FLORAL KNIGHTS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Effect  
**Attribute:** Wind  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 400  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **When this card is Normal Summoned, you may draw one card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CENTAURUMINA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description: **_Sacred Knight Spearholder + Horse of the Floral Knights_

Once per turn, during your turn, you can negate one Trap Card activated by your opponent, and return it to set position.

_Note: The preceding three cards were first used by Sherry in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "French Twist (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BATTLE BASEBALLER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Wind  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,100

**Card Description: **Machine-Type "Battle" Monsters except for "Battle Baseballer" are not affected by Trap Cards that target a specific Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BATTLE BASKETBALLER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description: **Machine-Type "Battle" Monsters except for "Battle Basketballer" are not affected by Spell Cards that target a specific Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BATTLE SLAPSHOOTER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Water  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **Machine-Type "Battle" Monsters except for "Battle Slapshooter" are not affected by the effects of Effect Monsters that target a specific Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**COMBAT CHEERLEADER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **Machine-Type "Battle" Monsters you control gain 1,000 Attack Points and are not affected by Spell Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster Effects unless they target a specific Monster. You can only control one "Battle Cheerleader".

_Note: The preceding four cards are based on cards created by fanfic author charizardag. Used with permission. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK UMPIRE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned by Tributing 2 Machine-Type Monsters with the word "Battle" in their names. During a player's Standby Phase, he can destroy his or her opponent's Monsters until both players control the same number of Monsters. If this card destroys a Fusion, Ritual, or Synchro Monster as a result of battle, select 1 Trap Card from your deck and add it to your hand; you may not set the selected Trap Card during the same turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**After a nightmare that I won't soon forget, my quest for answers takes me and Karl to a country-western bar and the most unlikely of informants. He's a member of the Kentucky Colonels, and also of a much more secretive group that he won't identify. It's his membership in this other group that has provided him with the information I need, but also made him distrustful of all other groups that work with the supernatural, even the Shadowchasers. **_

_**My past is coming to me in bits and pieces, as is my situation. The more I can learn the better. And this guy may hold the key…**_

"_**David Deck; Dark Knowledge" is coming soon.**_

_**I will know the truth.**_


	31. David Deck, Dark Knowledge

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**David Deck**

**Dark Knowledge**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Ben's dream had changed considerably. He was in armor, armed with a mace and a shield. The armor had an insignia on it, but when he looked at it, it was blurred.

He was in the middle of a heated battle. His allies were humans and civilized Shadowkind of all types, including elves and dwarves. His enemies were reptilian and amphibian humanoids, not just ophidia, but troglodytes, bullywugs, and lizard men. The battle was brutal and violent, because casualties from both sides lay dead amidst the battlefield. Still, it was clear that his side was winning. The army of cold-blooded soldiers was on the verge of retreat.

An ophidia fell to the crushing blow of his weapon, and he looked up... There was a scream...

...and he saw it... A great beast looming in front of him. A huge serpent, more hideous than anything the natural world could create. Two serpentine arms split off from its body in the midsection, each ending in a three-fingered talon. Its deformed head had five fanged jaws, split so that when opened, like they were now, it looked like the bloom of some demonic and monstrous flower.

As he looked at it in fear, he heard a name screamed...

"Sertrous!"

He woke up, sweating.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was now eight o'clock.

Ben was with Karl, who was looking through some databases. Bartholomew brought in a pitcher of orange juice.

"Ben, I don't say this often," said Karl, "but I am stumped. My search engines are drawing blanks here. I mean, almost every religion, both Shadowkind and Mundane, has some reference to snakes somewhere in their mythology… But there's not even a mention of any snake demons anywhere named Sertrous. You sure you spelled that right?"

"Positive," replied Ben. "Do the ophidia worship any gods other than Seghulerak?"

"Well," said Karl, "there is a rumor that they had a more benign god before she came along..."

"No, there's no way this thing was 'benign'," said Ben. "I could tell."

"Hmm…" said Karl, as he typed. "Legend says she had a consort once named Tapaan. But he was defeated by Gwynharwyf the Whirling Fury, and she locked him up in some dimensional jail."

"What did he look like?" asked Ben.

Karl typed in some commands, and a picture came up. It showed shows a four-armed ophidia with a scimitar in each hand.

"No, that's not him…" said Ben, with a sigh. "This had to mean something Karl… It may have been a dream, but I have a feeling that this battle where this Sertrous thing showed up happened at some point in my life, sometime long ago… And I think finding out the details might uncover something important."

"Tell you what…" said Karl. "Our relations with the ophidia have never been very good… But ever since Taramanda died, they've gotten a little better. I know a few who would be willing to talk to humans. Why don't we ask them if they know anything about this Sertrous?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It seemed the best idea, so they left and started pounding the pavement of the South Side, where ophidia tended to hang out. At first they had no luck at all. The first four ophidia that they spoke two had absolutely no idea who or what Sertrous was, nor did they know of anyone who might know.

They had more luck with the fifth. He said that his grandfather, who had died five years ago from old age, had mentioned the name once or twice, but had never explained it. He admitted that his grandfather had become somewhat senile in his old age, however. But he was willing to give them the address of an acquaintance of his grandfather.

That led to an herb shop in Little China, which was owned by a _very _old female ophidia. Karl couldn't help but wonder if her fangs were dentures, but he was polite enough not to ask.

The old store clerk said that she knew who Sertrous was, but said that talking about him was a taboo, and that doing so could bring terrible bad luck upon her clan. She was, however, willing to direct them to a human who also knew, who might tell them without fear of such... If they persuaded him.

That led them to the Lazy Q Bar and Grill. It was a country-western restaurant nestled in the Loop, which was about to serve lunch when they arrived at eleven o'clock.

"Table for two?" asked the cheery waitress at the door.

"Actually," said Karl, "we're looking for Colonel Pryce… We were told he was here, and if he's not busy…"

"Oh, yeah…" said the waitress. "Right over there… He told me to expect some folks…"

She pointed to a table where a middle-aged gentleman was sitting. He had grey hair tied in long braids, a full beard, and wore an impeccably clean white suit, string tie, and a cowboy hat. He was drinking Scotch on the rocks.

"Colonel Pryce, I presume?" said Karl, as he and Ben walked up to the table.

"That's me, fellahs," said the man. "Heard you guys were looking for me. Word travels fast."

"Say…" said Karl. "Anyone ever tell you that you look like…"

"Willie Nelson?" asked Pryce, with a chuckle. "All the time. I kinda liked the guy when I was a lad, and we have a lot in common… He liked alternative country, so do I… He was big on the environment, so am I…"

He chuckled again.

"He had problems with the IRS, I can't stand filling out that form ever year…

"So, take a load off your feet boys. Before you order anything here, I should warn you… The food in this place is spicy."

"Spicy or _really _spicy?" asked Ben, as they sat down.

"Let me put it this way…" replied Pryce. "You know fancy restaurants where waiters come around with pepper grinders and offer it to you? Here, they do the same thing, but the grinders don't have pepper… They have ground antacid tablets!"

He laughed out loud.

_Well, this guy seems harmless enough, _thought Ben.

"So, you're in the military?" asked Ben.

"Heh…" said Pryce. "Not really… Kentucky Colonels."

"Uh…" said Ben.

"It's an honorary title issued by the governor of Kentucky for outstanding service to either the state of Kentucky or the United States in general," explained Karl. "Most of the folks who are invited are bigwigs, but very few of them actually use it as a title…"

"So, what can I do for you lads?" asked Pryce. "Most folks don't simply walk into an old ophidia's herb shop asking for information unless they want something big… Oola was a very powerful shaman in her youth, after all…"

He noticeably lowered his voice when he said that.

"Right to the point, huh?" asked Ben. "Look… Colonel… We came to you for information about Sertrous…"

Pryce's jovial attitude quickly turned serious. He looked closely at the two of them. He looked at Karl.

"You're a Shadowchaser, aren't you?" he asked. "Well, I belong to a special group myself… Let me show you something…"

He unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt. Right under his neck was an odd symbol, sort of like an ankh, but with loops on the crossbars.

"See that?" he said. "That's the insignia of a _very _exclusive club that I belong to. I won't name it, but it's dedicated to keeping forbidden knowledge secret from those who would exploit it.

"We take it upon ourselves to learn all sorts of secrets… And make sure that folks who aren't supposed to know them don't know them."

"What kind of secrets?" asked Karl.

"I'll give you an example…" replied Pryce. "A smart guy like you must have studied the Watergate scandal, right?"

"Yeah…" replied Karl.

"My organization knew the identity of the government informant," continued Pryce, "the man whom they called 'Deep Throat', twenty years before he came forward. It was a dangerous secret back then, and like all of the secrets we discovered, we made sure no-one learned it. Woodward swore he'd never tell anyone who it was until the informant died, but could we be sure of it?

"Now… What you want to know is very dangerous… How can I be sure I can trust you with it?"

"You don't trust the Shadowchasers?" asked Karl.

"Let me ask you something," replied Pryce. "Do you trust the Governor of this state?"

"Uhm, yes," replied Karl.

"Well, I trust him too," said Pryce. "I trust him to do his job anyway. That's why I voted for him. If it turns out I was wrong to trust him and he does something stupid, odds are he won't be reelected, and we'll have a new Governor next time who'll work to correct the stupid thing he did.

"However… If I trust someone with one of the secrets that my group has learned, and I later find out that doing so was a mistake… Correcting that mistake may well be impossible… That's how dangerous some of these secrets are. For that reason, we are _very _careful about who we trust with them. Usually, we don't trust anyone at all.

"In fact, if you weren't a Shadowchaser, I wouldn't even be telling you this."

"You say that you collect forbidden knowledge…" said Ben. "Maybe you'd be interested in trading that knowledge for knowledge of equal value."

Then Pryce laughed.

"And just what could someone like you know that I wouldn't?" he asked.

"The exact details or the ritual to enter the cathedral that houses Heward's Mystical Organ?" replied Ben.

Pryce dropped his drink in shock. Even Karl looked scared.

"Let me get you another Scotch, Colonel," said a waitress.

"Actually, Shirley, better just get me a Diet Pepsi…" said Pryce, nervously. "I've had enough liquor for one day."

"Ben, you can't be serious…" said Karl.

"It's true…" said Ben. "It's one of the few memories of my original life I have… A friend and I found an old book with a spell that promised to lead to a powerful weapon…

"I'm drawing a blank on who the friend was, but it transported us to a powerful weapon, all right. Thing was, it wasn't exactly portable…"

"Heward's Mystical Organ?" asked Pryce.

Ben nodded.

"But we didn't try to play it…" he added.

"Then you and your friend were very wise…" said Pryce, ominously. "According to legend, Heward's Mystical Organ is one of the most powerful magical items in the cosmos, AND one of the most dangerous. If an organist plays it right, miracles can occur.

"It can make deserts bloom, turn a land stricken by famine into a land of plenty. But if even a single note is off-key, it can cause disasters and cataclysm unlike the world has ever seen.

"You know, a hundred years ago, I would have had you two thrown out of here, and then sent a bunch of people from my organization to grab you off the street to force that information out of you…

"But we don't do that anymore… Still, you do indeed have something worthy of my intention…"

"So you'll swap information?" asked Ben.

"No," replied Pryce. "I swore an oath never to sell the secrets I was entrusted with for _anything. _But…

"I might be willing to make a wager… I can ante what you want to know against what I want to know…"

He looked at the two of them hard.

"Duel Disks, eh?" he said.

"You're a duelist?" asked Karl.

"Why, yes…" replied Pryce. "There was once a time when dueling was a considered a gentleman's way of fighting…

"Say the name 'Aaron Burr', and the first thing you think of was how he killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. He did a lot more than that in his life… He was a lawyer, a Senator, and Vice President under Thomas Jefferson… But everyone just remembers the duel."

"So it's a duel you want?" replied Karl.

"Karl, no…" said Ben. "This was my idea, I'll duel him."

Pryce smiled, as his jovial mood returned.

"Listen up, folks!" he said, speaking up. "Duel between me and this youngster out front in five! Free to watch."

"You seem to know a lot of people in this place," said Karl.

"I should," said Pryce. "I own it.

"Tell me… Ben. You ever hear the term 'Billy Deck'?"

"Yeah…" replied Ben.

"I use a different term to describe my deck…" said Pryce. "I call it a 'David Deck'."

"Never heard _that _term before," said Karl.

"You'll soon see why…" replied Pryce.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Quite a crowd had gathered out on the street in only five minutes. Ben was nervous. It wasn't like he was used to dueling in front of an audience.

"Not to make you any more nervous," said Karl, who was standing beside him, "but I have a feeling that Pryce is pretty good… There's a guy over there offering wagers with twenty-to-one odds in his favor."

"Don't let that idiot scare you," said Pryce, who was wearing a Duel Disk. "Clarkson will do anything to make extra cash… Most of the time he does just what he's doing, he hangs around rich people and takes advantage of them.

"I take it you remember the bargain, Ben?"

"Do you?" asked Ben.

"Ask anyone here," replied Pryce. "If there's one thing that Colonel Morrison R. Pryce _never _does, it's break his word."

"Then let's start…" said Ben.

Their two Duel Disks activated, and the decks were shuffled.

_What will fate throw me this time? _thought Ben, looking at his deck.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Pryce: 8,000)**

"I'll even give you the first move," said Pryce. "I'm a gentleman, after all…"

Ben made his first draw. He looked over the cards in his hand, and raised an eyebrow.

He set one card on his Duel Disk, and a set Monster materialized in front of him.

"Okay, I think that'll do it for now…" he said.

Pryce made a draw. He looked at his hand before choosing a card.

"I summon Pierce Musketeer!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and definite female figure appeared in front of him. She was wearing a dress of the style of Victorian-era America with a plunging neckline, with a matching fancy hat. She held an old-fashioned rifle. (1,700 ATK)

"Now would be a good time to mention," said Pryce, as Pierce Musketeer aimed her weapon, "putting Monsters in Defense Mode is no good against this lass…"

Ben's Monster appeared on the card; it was three roses, each one with an eye in the center. Pierce Musketeer fired, and they shattered.

"Ergh…" grunted Ben.

"I'll set two facedown cards…" said Pryce, as two concealed cards appeared in his Spell Zone, "and that will be all for me."

**(B: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000)**

"Well then…" said Ben.

He made a draw.

"I summon a lady of my own… Botanical Girl!"

A feminine creature appeared in front of Ben, one that seemed to be dressed in leaves. On closer inspection, however, it became clear that her body was _made _of leaves. Her head was crowned by a large carnation, with a pitcher plant's cup hanging down the back like a ponytail. (1,300 ATK)

"But she isn't staying…" he continued. "You see, by returning a Plant-Type Monster to my hand, I can Special Summon someone even stronger…"

Botanical Girl vanished.

"I summon Evil Angel – Rose Sorcerer!"

There was an explosion of rose petals, and a sinister-looking angel appeared. She had raven hair and black wings, and was dressed in a black leather leotard, with black gloves and knee-high boots with heels. She carried a long whip covered with thorns. (2,400 ATK)

"Whoa…" said Pryce. "Never seen her before…"

"I doubt you'll forget her either…" said Ben.

Pierce Musketeer let out a scream as the Evil Angel flew at her. She lashed her whip, entangling the Warrior; with one yank, Pierce Musketeer shattered into pieces.

"Your Evil Angel is adequately named," said Pryce, "but Pierce Musketeer's death won't be for naught… I activate… Soul Rope!"

His facedown card lifted up.

"I give up 1,000 Life Points, and am now able to Special Summon a Warrior from my deck. I choose my Firelock Ray Gunman."

In an aura of energy, a new Warrior appeared. This one looked like a mannequin, wearing a sombrero and a poncho. A curly moustache was painted on its face. True to its name, it was holding a firelock rifle. (1,600 ATK)

Ben looked at it strangely, and then took two cards from his hand. He set them, and they appeared set in his Spell Zone.

"I'll end with those," he said.

**(B: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 6,300)**

"My move!" exclaimed Pryce, making a draw.

"I play my Foolish Burial," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "I'll use it to send this Monster to the Graveyard…"

He took a card from his deck, and discarded it.

"Next, Call of the Haunted!" he said, as his other facedown card lifted up. "I'll Special Summon the Monster I just sent to my Graveyard…

"And look! It's another Firelock Ray Gunman!"

A second of the bandito mannequins appeared. (1,600 ATK) As it did, the first one aimed its weapon and fired, striking Ben in the chest.

"OW!" he shouted.

"Forgot to mention," said Pryce. "Whenever a Firelock Ray Gunman is summoned, any that are already on the field get to inflict 800 points of damage.

"And I think I'll summon a third one!"

He played another card, and a third Gunman materialized. (1,600 ATK) The first two Gunmen fired at Ben, and he shouted again.

**(B: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 6,300)**

Everyone was cheering. Pryce paused for a minute.

"I'm just getting warmed up, people!" he called out.

He played another card.

"Next thing I'm gonna do, is give one of these guys an Equip Spell…"

A shadowy aura surrounded one of the Firelock Ray Gunmen.

"It's called Chthonian Alliance, and it gives it 800 more Attack Points for each Monster on the field with the same name."

(3,200 ATK)

"That means it can clip your Angel's wings…"

The Firelock Ray Gunman fired, and Evil Angel collapsed the ground. She disintegrated into motes of light.

"Now I can…" started Pryce.

"One minute!" exclaimed Ben. "Remember that Monster that your Pierce Musketeer destroyed? It was something called a Revival Rose.

"Whenever one of my Level 5 or higher Plant-Type Monsters is destroyed, it revives, so to speak. And even though my Angel was removed from play because I used her effect to summon her, it doesn't matter to Revival Rose."

The three roses reappeared, defending. (1,300 DEF)

"Huh…" said Pryce. "Not bad…"

One of the two un-Equipped Gunmen fired, blowing Revival Rose to shards. Then the last one fired, hitting Ben directly. He held his chest in pain.

**(B: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 6,300)**

_This is bad, _thought Karl. _Pryce is obviously very good at this, and he has very powerful cards. If Ben doesn't do something to turn this around, we may have come here for nothing…_

"My move…" said Ben.

He drew a card.

Then one of his facedown cards lifted up. It was _his _Call of the Haunted. Revival Rose appeared again. (1,300 ATK)

"This next Monster is Level 7," he said. "But it can be summoned with one sacrifice if the sacrifice is a Plant-Type Monster…

"So, I sacrifice Revival Rose…"

The three roses turned into a dark orb…

"…to summon… Cruel Angel – Queen of Rose!"

There was another explosion of rose petals, and another angelic form flew onto the field, a battlecry on her lips. This one was clearly a fighter, unlike the last one. She wore a crimson dress with a floral design, had crimson wings, a helmet, and held a large, two-handed sword. (2,400 ATK)

"Starting to see a theme here…" said Pryce.

"Next," said Ben, as his other facedown card lifted up, "I activate Plant Food Chain and I Equip it to my Cruel Angel."

Cruel Angel glowed with energy. (2,900 ATK)

"Cruel Angel, attack one of the un-Equipped Gunmen with Rose Trimmer!" shouted Ben.

The Cruel Angel flew at the wooden soldier, and her sword fell, smashing it to pieces. The Gunman that was Equipped with Chthonian Alliance fell to an Attack Score of 2,400.

"Ugh…" said Pryce.

"I set one more card facedown," said Ben, as a set card appeared, "and I end my turn."

**(B: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 5,000)**

Pryce made a draw. He looked at the two cards in his hand, Desert Sunlight and Fairy of the Spring.

_Hmm… _he thought.

"I activate Hand Destruction!" shouted Ben, as his facedown card lifted up. "Now we must each discard two cards and draw two new ones."

Pryce shrugged. That helped him far more than it hurt him. He discarded his two cards, and Ben did the same with his. They both drew twice.

Pryce looked at the two new cards. They weren't much of an improvement… Certainly nothing that could defeat Cruel Angel.

He turned the two cards on his Disk, and the two Firelock Ray Gunmen knelt in Defense Mode. (800 DEF x2)

"That's all for me," he said.

"Then it's my move…" said Ben.

He drew a card.

"During my Standby Phase," he continued, "Cruel Angel's effect activates, and the Monster on the field with the lowest Attack Score is destroyed."

Cruel Angel slashed with her sword, and the other un-Equipped Gunman was cut in half.

"Now she'll attack your last one! Rose Trimmer!"

The Angel flew at the last Gunman, cutting it in twain.

"I'll end my turn there," said Ben.

Pryce looked hard at Cruel Angel as he made a draw.

_Hmm… _he thought. _That lass's effect is a mandatory trigger that activates during his Standby Phase… If I had no Monsters on the field when that happened, she would destroy herself…_

_But… She's higher than Level 4, so that would activate the effect of that Revival Rose thing, and that would be bad. _

"I summon Twin Gun Fighter," he said, as he played a card.

There was a rallying shout, and a new Warrior appeared on the field. This one was a rugged cowboy, with long, blonde hair, dressed in a leather buckskin and cowboy hat. He held two Colt revolvers. (1,600 ATK)

"Next, I play Symbol of Heritage," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "Since I have three Firelock Ray Gunmen in my Graveyard, this Equip Spell lets me summon one of them to the field."

He played the card, and one of the wooden banditos appeared again. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, the Spell Card, Union Attack," he said, as he played his last card. "By playing this card, only one of my Monsters can attack this round, but he gains Attack Points equal to all my other Monsters.

"That boon is going to my Twin Gun Fighter."

The gun slinger aimed his two Colts, and his Attack Score rose to 3,200. He fired two shots, and the Cruel Angel screamed and dropped her sword.

She collapsed and shattered. Then Ben clutched his chest in pain.

"Of course, due to Union Attack's effect, you take no Battle Damage," said Pryce. "But due to Twin Gun Fighter's effect, you take damage equal to his base Attack Score."

"Yeah…" said Ben, as sweat poured down his forehead. "I use the other effect of Plant Food Chain, to Special Summon a Plant from my Graveyard."

Botanical Girl appeared, sitting on her haunches. (1,100 DEF)

"And don't forget, I can use the effect of Revival Rose to summon it back to the field."

Revival Rose appeared again. (1,300 DEF)

**(B: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 5,000)**

_This is not good… _thought Karl. _If that Twin Gun Fighter gets another shot off, this duel is over…_

"I draw!" shouted Ben.

He drew a card.

"I summon… The Tuner Monster, Glow-Up Bulb!"

A small Plant appeared next to Botanical Girl. It was a white flower with a large bulb, with a beady eye on the bulb. (100 ATK)

"And because I just Normal Summoned a Plant-Type Tuner Monster," he continued, "I can Special Summon Dark Verger from my Graveyard."

Another Plant appeared next to Glow-Up Bulb, a two-leaved ivy plant with an eye on each leaf. (0 ATK)

"Then, I Tune together all three of my Monsters…"

Glow-Up Bulb led the way, flying into the sky above the street. Botanical Girl and Dark Verger followed.

"_A seed is sown in cursed soil… Clustering stars nurture a blooming flower, but be warned… A rose is beautiful, but hides sharp briars…"_

**(*1 + *2 + *3 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Queen of Thorns!"_

The ground rumbled, and another female Plant grew out of the ground. This one had an emphasis on thorns and brambles, being far more plant-like than the two Angels. It was hard to tell what was clothing and what was part of her body; much of it looked like ivy leaves. Her hands looked like the "mouths" of some carnivorous plant. (2,200 ATK)

"That's trouble…" said Pryce.

"More than you know…" said Ben. "Because if either player summons a Monster that isn't a Plant while she's around, he'll take 1,000 points of damage.

"But first…"

Two thorny vines shot at Twin Gun Fighter, constricting around him and squeezing. After a few seconds, he shattered.

**(B: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,400)**

"It's your move, Colonel," said Ben. "Got any more tricks?"

Pryce made a draw.

He set it on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared. Then Firelock Ray Gunman moved to Defense Mode again. (800 DEF)

"We'll soon see," he said. "It's your move…"

Ben quickly drew a card.

"I summon another Botanical Girl!" he said.

He threw a card on his Disk, and a twin of the first Botanical Girl appeared. (1,300 ATK)

"Mulch his Firelock Ray Gunman!" he shouted.

Botanical Girl leapt at the Gunman with a swift kick, smashing it to pieces.

Then Ben pointed, and Queen of Thorns reached for the hidden Monster with her tendrils. Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and cackled before it was smashed into broken pottery.

Ben frowned. He discarded his three cards, Star Siphon, Inmato, and Miracle Fertilizer. They both made five draws.

"Think I'll use one of these…" he said.

He played a Spell Card.

"By playing Supremacy Berry, I gain 2,000 Life Points.

"Seems I'm back in this game… And it's your move…"

**(B: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,400)**

Pryce made a draw. He quickly used one.

"Because I have no Monsters, and you have one that's at least Level 5," he said, "I can Special Summon Black Bart."

Another cowboy appeared, this one dressed completely in black, with a slim moustache. Like Twin Gun Fighter, he also had two Colt revolvers. (1,800 ATK)

"That guy isn't a Plant," said Ben, "so my Queen's effect activates!"

Pryce stood his ground as the thorny vines lashed at him.

"Be that as it may," he said, "I'm going to summon someone else… Meet Grenadier!"

He played another card, and a tall man wearing a black overcoat and a top hat, with a moustache and goatee, holding a hand mortar, appeared next to Black Bart. (1,500 ATK)

Pryce grunted as the vines lashed at him again.

"Grenadier, attack his Botanical Girl!" exclaimed Pryce.

Grenadier launched an explosive from his weapon, and Botanical Girl was incinerated in a fiery blast.

"Not the best idea!" said Ben. "When Botanical Girl is destroyed by battle, I get to take a Plant-Type Monster with 1,000 Defense Points or less from my deck!"

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

_Copy Plant may be good for later… _he thought.

"However," said Pryce, "when Grenadier destroys _any _Monster as a result of battle, all other opposing Monsters lose 500 Attack Points."

Queen of Thorns fell to an Attack Score of 1,700.

Black Bart aimed, and fired four rounds. Queen of Thorns collapsed, and then shattered.

**(B: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 2,400)**

"I'll end my turn there," said Pryce.

Ben looked at Pryce hard for a minute.

"What?" asked Pryce.

"You know, Colonel," said Ben, "your 'David Deck' as you call it is about as poorly named as it can get…:"

"Huh?" said Pryce. "I call it that because…"

"I understand why you call it that," replied Ben. "I see the general idea. You specialize in bringing down big Monsters with small ones, just like how David slew Goliath.

"But you're forgetting something. David was alone when he slew Goliath. All the other Israelites were too afraid to fight the Philistine's champion. David had no help… No mortal help, anyway. This isn't the case in your deck.

"Your Monsters aren't too powerful on their own, so your deck is all about them using teamwork to bring strong opponents down. Heh… Ironic that they're all cowboys… It's kind of the opposite of the classic 'spaghetti western', where gunfighters were lone wolves who rejected the idea of partnerships."

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled Pryce. "You ever hear of the old saying, 'United We Stand, Divided We Fall'? It's a popular saying in my… club. The folks I associate who duel… They may not use cowboy Monsters, but they have similar strategies… And one benefit to being in this club is, the members always watch each other's backs."

Ben looked around with an ominous look…

"Uh, yeah…" he said.

He drew a card.

"I summon Lonefire Blossom!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a new plant sprouted up. This one was neither more nor less a plant; it was a large flower with a bulbous blossom. (500 ATK)

"Now, by sacrificing it, I can Special Summon any Plant at all from my deck…"

Lonefire Blossom vanished, and the ground rumbled…

A _huge _carnation burst out of the ground. Slowly, the petals opened, to reveal a female form inside, the plant-like covering arranged like a royal robe, the flowers on her head arranged like a crown.

Tytannial, Princess of Camellias glared at Pryce. (2,800 ATK)

"Heh…" said Pryce, nervously. "Was kinda wondering when she'd show up…"

"Attack!" shouted Ben. "Petal storm!"

A blizzard of razor-sharp rose petals shot from the Princess of Camellias, plowing into Grenadier and blowing him to shards. This time, Pryce was actually knocked over.

"Colonel!" shouted one of the waitresses.

"I'm fine!" laughed Pryce. "Comes with the territory, y'know…"

"Then it's your move, Colonel," said Ben. "I take it that you know, if Tytannial is targeted by a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect, I can sacrifice another Plant, like my Revival Rose, to negate it."

**(B: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 1,000)**

Pryce made a draw.

"Well, what do you know…" he said. "This is the rarest card I've got…

"When I was just a lad, my father took me to the Billionaires' Club in Hamburg…"

"Was _everyone _there a billionaire?" asked Karl, his eyes opening wide.

"Well…" said Pryce with a chuckle. "Lunch was a little cheaper than dinner… So maybe a few millionaires snuck in! Heh, heh…

"Anyway, some guy there noticed I had cards, and offered to give me this one… He told me that it had cost him a very important duel… Go figure…"

He played the card, and a Continuous Spell appeared in front of him.

"Magical Alms?" asked Ben.

"Here's how it works," said Pryce. "Just by playing it, I gain 1,000 Life Points.

"But then, I have to guess how many Spell Cards I'll successfully activate this round, and then each player must do the same during each of his Standby Phases. When a guess is made, each player gains 500 Life Points times the number guessed.

"But… If the guess is wrong, the player who made the guess forfeits the amount he gained during his End Phase.

"Got it?"

"Yeah, I got that…" said Ben, slowly.

"All right…" said Pryce. "I guess that I will activate _one _Spell Card this round.

"Now then… Not all of my Monsters are 'small ones', as you put it. I'll discard one card…"

He slipped one card from his hand into his discard slot.

"…to Special Summon this gunslinger… Quickdraw Synchron!"

In a flash of light, the cute robot Tuner dressed as a cowboy frequently used by Yusei Fudo appeared next to Black Bart. (700 ATK)

"Next, I use the effect of the Monster I just discarded," he continued. "I can Special Summon Level Eater to the field, and reduce Quickdraw Synchron's Level to 4 in the process."

A small beetle with a star on its back hoped onto the field. (0 DEF)

"Going to summon Junk Warrior?" asked Karl.

"Nope," replied Pryce. "The non-Tuner Monster I'm using is Black Bart."

"Junk Destroyer?" asked Karl, nervously.

Pryce shook his head. Karl looked confused.

"Well, Chevalier de Fleur certainly doesn't seem your style!" he said.

"None of the above," said Pryce, as his two Monsters transformed into eight glowing stars. "The Synchro Monster I'm going to summon is a very rare card… And while it does indeed require a Synchron as a Tuner, it can be _any _Synchron…"

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"I Synchro Summon… Peacekeeper Guardian!"

There was a galloping sound, and a cloud of dust. The silhouette of a rearing horse appeared behind Pryce, and then a tall Warrior leapt onto the field. He was dressed in a cowboy outfit that was pure white and spotlessly clean, with a white mask covering his whole face.

He put his hands on his hips as he looked at Ben and his Monsters. (2,800 ATK)

"Next, I use his effect," continued Pryce. "When he's Synchro Summoned, I can Special Summon a low-Level Warrior from my Graveyard."

Pierce Musketeer appeared next to Peacekeeper Guardian. (1,700 ATK)

"And now for my one Spell Card," he continued, as he took a card from his hand. "Gift of the Martyr. I'll send Pierce Musketeer to the Graveyard, and increase Peacekeeper Guardian's Attack Score by hers."

Pierce Musketeer vanished, and Peacekeeper Guardian's Attack Score shot up to 4,500. He drew two silvery six-shooters, and fired two rounds at Tytannial. She shrieked, and then shattered into pixels.

_Terrific, _thought Karl. _Tytannial is the most powerful Plant in the game, and Pryce took her out without breaking a sweat. I don't know what else Ben could possibly pull out of that deck at this point…_

**(B: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 2,500)**

Ben sighed. He made a draw.

"Via your Magical Alms," he said, "I predict I will activate _one _Spell Card this turn…

"And here it is… Fragrance Storm."

He quickly played the card.

"To use this, I have to destroy one Plant-Type Monster…"

Revival Rose shattered into pixels.

"But then I get to draw one card. If it's a Plant, I can show it to you and draw a second time."

He made a draw.

"Unfortunately, it isn't," he said.

"I play a facedown, and then summon Bird of Roses."

A set card appeared, and then a large bird appeared, one that seemed to be made of leaves, with a rose on its head and two on the ends of its wings. (1,800 ATK)

"Destroy his Level Eater!" he shouted.

Bird of Roses exhaled a gust of wind mixed with pollen from its beak, and the small Insect shattered.

"Fortunately, it was in Defense Mode," said Pryce.

"Your move…" said Ben.

**(B: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,000)**

"I draw one card…" said Pryce, making one draw.

"And during my Standby Phase, Peacekeeper Guardian lets me Special Summon a Warrior from my Graveyard… But… It has to be the exact same one that I Special Summoned when I used his effect before."

Pierce Musketeer appeared once again. (1,700 ATK)

"And due to the effect of Magical Alms, I predict that I will use _two _Spell Cards this turn."

"And here's the first one…"

He threw one of his two cards into his Duel Disk.

"Pot of Avarice!"

He took all three Firelock Ray Gunmen, Grenadier, and Quickdraw Synchron, and added them to his deck.

"You're taking a risk here," said Ben.

"Life's not worth living unless you go to the edge once in a while," replied Pryce, as he hit the auto–shuffler.

He made two draws.

"And look at that!" he said with a laugh. "I drew Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He quickly played it, and the cyclone blew Ben's facedown Wall of Thorns to pieces.

"I'll set these," he said, as he set his other two cards, "and then my Peacekeeper Guardian will attack Bird of Roses!"

The mysterious rider fired two shots, and the verdant bird was blown into a burst of leaves.

"I use its effect," said Ben, holding up two cards. "When Bird of Roses is destroyed by battle while in Attack Mode, I get to Special Summon two Plant-Type Tuners from my deck in Defense Mode.

"So… I summon two Nettles!"

Two small Plants that looked like patches of crab grass with grinning faces sprouted up in front of Ben. (400 DEF x2)

"Obviously, you've forgotten about my other Monster's effect," said Pryce, as Pierce Musketeer aimed at one of them.

She fired, and Ben grunted as one of the Nettles shattered.

"It's your move…" said Pryce.

**(B: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,000)**

"I draw…" said Ben, making a draw.

He paused for a minute. He looked over the field.

"I predict that I will activate _three _Spell Cards this turn…"

_Three? _thought Karl. _I hope he knows what he's doing…_

"Now, I play MY Pot of Avarice," said Ben, as he played a Spell Card.

"Sorry, Ben ol' boy," said Pryce, as one of his two facedown cards lifted up. "I'm one step ahead of you. I activate Magic Drain!"

Ben looked at him with a smirk.

"Now you have to discard a Spell Card if you want that Spell to work," continued Pryce.

"I choose not to," said Ben, closing his eyes.

The Pot of Avarice card shattered into pieces.

"And you fell for it… completely…"

"What do you mean?" said Pryce. "You can't activate all three Spells now…"

"I was counting on you trying to prevent me from doing so," replied Ben. "I only intended to activate two.

"Sure I'll lose the 1,500 Life Points I just gained… IF we ever get to the End Phase of this turn… And I doubt that's gonna happen…"

He played another Spell Card.

"I play… Star Blast," he continued. "By paying 500 Life Points, I can downgrade this Monster in my hand from Level 6 to Level 5.

"Now, I'll sacrifice Nettles to summon it… Gigaplant!"

Nettles vanished, and with a loud, throaty laugh, the huge, bulky, carnivorous Plant appeared where it had been. (2,400 ATK)

"Next, in exchange for one card from my deck," he continued, as he discarded a card, "I can Special Summon Glow-Up Bulb back to the field."

The strange flower with the large bulb reappeared. (100 ATK)

"Now, I'll Tune both of them together…" he said, as the two of them turned into six glowing stars. "Summoning my final heavy hitter…"

**(*1 + *5 = *6)**

"Synchro Summon… Splendid Rose!"

In yet another burst of rose petals, a new Synchro appeared, and this time, it was male, although somewhat effeminate. He had blonde hair and was dressed in a floral harlequin outfit, green on the left side and black on the right, with cuffs around his wrists and ankles made of roses. (2,200 ATK)

"Now for my second Spell Card…" said Ben, as he threw a card into his Disk. "Raging Mad Plants!

"For each Plant-Type Monster in my Graveyard, all my Plants on the field gain 300 Attack Points… It's been a long duel, Colonel…"

A garden of Plant Monsters appeared in phantom form behind Ben: Cruel Angel, Revival Rose, Tytannial, both Botanical Girls, both Nettles, Glow-Up Bulb, Bird of Roses, Dark Verger, Inmato, Queen of Thorns, Lonefire Blossom, and Gigaplant. Splendid Rose flexed his muscles and grunted… (6,400 ATK)

"Sixty-four hundred?" gasped Pryce.

"It gets worse," said Ben.

Glow-Up Bulb slipped out of his discard slot, and he pocketed it.

"By removing one Plant in my Graveyard from play, he can cut the Attack Score of one of your Monsters in half."

Peacekeeper Guardian groaned and held his chest. (1,400 ATK)

_What is Ben thinking? _thought Karl. _Even if this attack hits, Pryce's Life Points won't be reduced to zero, and Splendid Rose will be destroyed when he ends his turn because he used Raging Mad Plants._

Nonetheless, Splendid Rose flew at Peacekeeper Guardian, aiming a kick for the rider…

"I activate… Emergency Provisions!" shouted Pryce, as his facedown card shot up. "I'll send Magical Alms to the Graveyard, and gain 1,000 points to buffer the attack!"

The Continuous Spell Card in front of the Colonel vanished. Then he braced himself as a shockwave struck the field, obliterating Peacekeeper Guardian. Pryce's hat flew from his head.

**(B: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 1,500)**

"Heh, heh…" said Pryce. "It was a nice try, lad… But…"

"I'm not done," said Ben.

"Eh…" said Pryce.

Bird of Roses slipped out of Ben's discard slot, and he took it.

"By removing another Plant from play, Splendid Rose can attack a second time… With _his _Attack Score halved!"

(3,200 ATK)

"Uh oh…" said Pryce.

Splendid Rose aimed another kick, this time for Pierce Musketeer. The rifle-woman screamed right before the kick landed, blowing her to pieces and knocking Pryce down on his behind.

**(B: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 0)**

The crowd was dumbfounded for a minute. Pryce got up.

Then he started clapping.

"Bravo!" he said. "Good duel, lad!"

Slowly, others started clapping, then more and more folks started to join in.

"Someone grab Clarkson before he sneaks off," said Pryce. "He likely has quite a few promises to keep…"

"And what about the deal we made?" asked Ben.

Pryce sighed. He motioned to the waitress who had been watching.

"Shirley, me and these two lads are gonna need the private dining room for a while," he said. "We have business…"

"Uh, here's your hat," said Karl, handing him the cowboy hat.

Pryce went to take it. Then he stopped.

"Tell you what, keep it," he said.

"You sure?" asked Karl. "Looks kinda expensive."

Pryce laughed, and brushed the dust off his suit.

"Let you two in on a little secret," he said. "This is off the rack.

"One secret to being successful is, make people think you spend more on yourself than you really do."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Lorelei and Hape were speaking to the Triad via the viewing screen.

"How is Lareth?" asked the First.

"Right now?" replied Lorelei. "Hungry. And I don't blame him.

"Your excellences, I don't mean to presume, but as we feared, his sanity has clearly degenerated. Perhaps he would benefit from the Orb Chamber..."

"_Hmm..." _said the Second._ "Possibly..."_

"Hold on..." said the Third. "We've never exposed a full-fledged Doomdreamer to the Orb Chamber. It's risky. His link to our lord may be weakened if he spends too much time there."

"Good point," said the First, as he stroked his beard. "Twenty-four hour exposure would not be wise. Have Graves set up a couch – with no restraints – in the chamber, and have him take daily one-hour sessions."

"_Indeed," _said the Second. _"While he does that, you go check on the Talisman, Lorelei."_

"Oh…" moaned Lorelei. "Why can't Tiberius do it? He's more powerful than I am!"

"That's the whole point, Lorelei," said the Third. "If the experiment worked, Tiberius would be powerful enough to use it, so he might take it for himself. You aren't, so we trust you to monitor the progress."

They vanished.

Lorelei turned to Hape.

"Come on…" she said. "I'm sure you'll find this intriguing…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MAGICAL ALMS (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **A man shown from the neck down, wearing purple robes, holding his hands together with a glowing orb of light between them.

**Card Description: **When you activate this card, gain 1,000 Life Points and guess how many Spell Cards you will play during the remainder of your current turn. During each player's Standby Phase, he or she must guess how many Spell Cards he or she will play during his or her turn. Whenever a guess is made as to how many Spell Cards will be played, each player gains 500 Life Points times the number guessed. Effects of cards that affect Life Point gain are not applied to this effect. During a player's End Phase, if he or she did not play exactly the number of Spell Cards that he or she guessed he or she would play, he or she takes damage equal to the amount he gained when the guess was made.

_Note: This is a fanfiction version of the card used by Zigfried in the original anime episode "One Step Ahead (Part 2)". It has been altered slightly to make it balanced. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FIRELOCK RAY GUNMAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 600

**Card Description: **When you control this face-up card in Attack Position, inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent when a "Firelock Ray Gunman" is Summoned to your side of the field.

_Note: "Firelock Ray Gunman" was first used by three unnamed duelists in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's"episode "Duelist for Hire". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PIERCE MUSKETEER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When this card attacks a Defense Position monster with a DEF lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TWIN GUN FIGHTER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, after damage calculation, inflict damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the base ATK of this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GRENADIER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,500  
**DEF:** 1,100

**Card Description:** When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, after damage calculation, decrease the ATK of all face-up Monsters on your opponent's side of the field by 500 points.

_Note: "Pierce Musketeer", "Twin Gun Fighter", and "Grenadier" were used by Richie Merced in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLACK BART (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 900

**Card Description: **If you control no Monsters and your opponent controls a Level 5 or higher Monster, you may Special Summon this card from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PEACEKEEPER GUARDIAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description: **_"Synchron" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Warrior-Type Monsters_

When this card is Synchro Summoned, select 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it. If the selected Monster is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you may Special Summon it from your Graveyard during your next Standby Phase if you control this card. The selected Monster cannot be Tributed or used for a Synchro Summon after being Special Summoned by either effect of this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Dugan: Who is the mysterious Marcus Hape? Next chapter, as Ben gets his information, I get roped into a Turbo Duel with this strange duelist who seems somehow connected to the cult of Tharizdun, and his deck strategy is as strange as it is lethal. And if that weren't enough, Edgar and Penelope's investigations seem to have uncovered a clue… Now if only we can discover what it means. **_

"_**Air Raid; The Fighter Strikers" is coming soon.**_


	32. Air Raid, The Fighter Strikers

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Air Raid**

**The Fighter Strikers**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In an otherwise empty room, a pot of bubbling, tar-black liquid sat on a pedestal, next to a digital measuring device.

"What is that stuff?" asked Hape.

"Negative energy, concentrated into liquid form," replied Lorelei. "Don't touch it. You put a finger in there, it'll be burned off."

Lorelei hit a switch, and the black stuff stopped bubbling. Then it drained into a second container within the pedestal. Inside the now-empty jar was a golden amulet. Lorelei picked up a leather glove next to the jar and put it on.

"What's the glove for?" asked Hape.

"Are you kidding?" asked Lorelei. "That amulet is more dangerous than the black stuff."

She carefully picked up the amulet with her gloved hand and looked at it, and then placed it on the measuring device. The number read "00.00". Nothing more. She waited a minute, but there was no reading. She sighed.

"Once again, no change whatsoever…" she grumbled. "What a surprise."

She tossed the amulet back in the jar, and hit another switch. It started to fill with the black stuff again.

"So…" said Hape, as she took the glove off. "What exactly IS that amulet?"

"A Talisman of Pure Good," said Lorelei. "The Triad stole it from some bigwig member of the Templars of Heironeous years ago. See, if a priest with a pure heart who follows a benign deity used its power on a priest of a dark god, he'd be able to slay him utterly, sending him or her straight to Hell for whatever atrocities he or she had committed."

Hape looked at her funny.

"So, then," he said, "someone like, say, Donny Lewison could use it to send someone like, uhm, _you _to Hell?"

Donny Lewison was the famed founder of St. Cuthbert's House, and likely the most powerful follower of St. Cuthbert currently alive. Ironically, he had also been a youth from the inner city (only from New York) until someone whom he claimed to be the avatar of St. Cuthbert himself saved his life and put him on the right track. He was very active in spreading his organization's reach, currently looking into expanding it to Africa and Asia.

"In a nutshell… yeah," replied Lorelei.

"Uh…" said Hape. "Call me crazy, but… Isn't a thing like that a little dangerous for you guys to have around?"

"Well, yeah," replied Lorelei, "but, anyone who'd actually be able to use it would have a hard time getting into this building, let alone to this floor. And the Triad thinks that if it soaks in that crud long enough, it will turn into a Talisman of Ultimate Evil, a device that does the opposite.

"Still, I don't like it. It's been a year now, and so far, nothing. I don't know why they even bother... It only has two charges remaining anyway...

"So, want to go to lunch?"

"Uh, actually, I have plans…" said Hape.

"Eh, suit yourself…" said Lorelei, with a shrug.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The private dining room in the Lazy Q Bar and Grill was a moderately sized room with one large table, set away from prying eyes. Pryce had ordered the specialty of the house: chili-cheese nachos.

"I gotta admit, you were right," said Karl. "These are pretty spicy."

"You should try the Buffalo wings," replied Pryce.

"The food is good," said Ben. "Now, about Sertrous…"

"Okay…" said Pryce. "But… Everything said in this room stays in this room…"

He paused. Ben nodded, and so did Karl. Pryce's voice sank to a lower tone.

"I'm not gonna pretend to be some god-fearing religious zealot," he started. "I don't go to church as often as I'd like to. In fact, just between you and me, one of my guilty pleasures is going to nightclubs where only adults are allowed in, and not just because they serve liquor, if you know what I mean.

"I'm just going to tell you the facts... How it happened, exactly. What I'm about to tell you has never been written down or logged. It has been told orally throughout the ages by the wisest members of various races of Shadowkind, and kept secret from those who could use it for evil purposes.

"Now, everyone knows that one doesn't have to worship a god to gain power or enlightenment. The Athar have a point there in that regard. Some pagan religions worship nature to achieve peace. Some Native Americans worship animal spirits, and some Eastern religions worship ancestors. Some Awares even worship powerful Shadows. Entire nations, such as this one, have been founded on ideals, and these nations have become more powerful than any theocracy.

"But who was it who revealed this truth to mortals? Who was the one who revealed the secret that the gods likely would have wanted kept hidden? It wasn't the Athar… The truth was revealed long before they were founded.

"Long before the birth of mortals, Tharizdun, the one whom would be later called the Mad God, emerged from a portal from the Far Realm, a dimension of madness. He was not alone... With him came an entourage of demonic creatures, beings who swore loyalty to him or simply served out of fear of his power.

"When Tharizdun made clear his plan, his master plan to eradicate all of existence, most of his followers, who were just as mad as he was, were still willing to follow him. But not all. Some disagreed. Some questioned what their fates would be if this plan succeeded.

"The biggest opposition came from one of his most powerful followers, a mighty demon named Sertrous. Sertrous felt that they would be better conquering all of existence rather than destroying it. He persuaded the other demons who questioned Tharizdun's plans to his side, and a fight broke out. Still, Tharizdun's group was stronger, and Sertrous's rebellion was quashed quickly, its members eradicated. But Sertrous himself actually managed to survive.

"Though his body was destroyed, Sertrous's essence fell to a world where mortal life was developing in the primordial muck. He made a desperate grab for an anchor, a body to keep him from ceasing to exist. All he found was a lowly serpent slithering through a mire; that would have to do.

"For eons, Sertrous lived as a serpent in that wilderness bog. In a way, what happened to him seemed to turn out to his benefit... Tharizdun and the demons loyal to him were defeated by the gods, and locked away in a dark prison. As Sertrous healed, his essence transformed the serpent into a new physicality that took on the maddening appearance of his previous demonic form, yet still snake-like in general outline. He watched from his fen as the humanoid races grew civilized and built their empires, along with their temples to honor the gods. Slowly, he began to grow jealous of the worship shown towards the higher powers. His desire to rule was forming in him once more.

"And so, Sertrous raised an army of creatures who could worship him. Ophidia, lizard men, troglodytes, bullywugs, and other reptilian creatures flocked to his side. When he thought the time was right, his army made their move, and a plague of serpentine terrors descended upon the civilized races.

"The demon's bold act did not go unchallenged. The gods sent a powerful servant, the archangel Avamerin, to confront the demon. When the seraphim flew out of the sky, a surge of power was bestowed upon the warriors opposing the dark army, and the reptilian forces were quickly depleted. Then Avamerin confronted Sertrous himself, dealing the fiend a terrible wound.

"Sertrous fled back to his fen, but the archangel followed. A terrible fight waged, and finally, the demon collapsed. Avamerin lifted his sword to deal the final blow, and as he did, these were the final words that came from the Sertrous's mouth:

"'Why serve your lord when his playthings can gain the same strength of power through their own wills?'

"Then Avamerin's sword struck. Sertrous was no more.

"Avamerin took the demon's head back to civilization, and placed it over the altar of St. Cuthbert, god of retribution, as a symbol of the fate of Evil. And he told the victorious army of the foolish demon's words.

"Yet, in spreading these words, Avamerin unwittingly revealed a great secret... Philosophers discussed the seemingly simple taunt, and discovered its meaning. Sertrous had meant that one did not need to worship an actual deity to gain power or enlightenment.

"One could worship the living earth itself, or the sun or the moon. He could worship the act of war, the forests, the mountains, or the elemental forces of nature. He could worship the very concept of Good... or Evil... or even the universe's way of balancing Good and Evil. Gods were not the only things that priests could devote their worship to... Divinity was present in all things. And slowly, some mortals started to put this idea into practice.

"Avamerin saw this wave of godless priests spread over the world, and he was powerless to stop it. The archangel realized his error, and when he confessed to his lord, he was disciplined, demoted one rank, and stripped of his post.

"Considering what trouble it would cause in the long run, this was a lenient punishment. But Avamerin was enraged by it. He cast aside his servitude and stole Sertrous's skull from the temple of St. Cuthbert, claiming that the dead demon was wiser than the gods. Of course, the gods were _not _pleased. They punished Avamerin by stripping away his beautiful form. If he would ascribe such value to a serpent's words, he would be one with them. They cursed him with the form of a serpent, and banished him from Heaven. Avamerin likely never realized that, quite possibly, this had been the wicked demon's intent all along when he goaded his slayer with those words.

"The fallen angel thus became the first heretic, swearing before he vanished that he would devote the rest of his existence to serving the one who had opened his eyes. Some say he lurks in some hidden place, still holding onto Sertrous's deformed skull, feeding it the power of disbelief, in hopes that someday it would be enough to restore the Prince of Heretics to life and prove what the fallen angel had come to believe was the truth behind the lies of faith."

Ben and had been listening closely to this bizarre story, nearly entranced by it. Finally, Pryce looked up.

"You boys want anything else to eat?" he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A polite "no thank you" later, Ben and Karl walked out of the restaurant.

"Well, now we know who Sertrous is…" said Karl. "Or rather, who he _was…_"

"Yeah…" replied Ben. "Now, all we need to do is find out how the guy pertains to me…

"It seems that with each piece of this mystery that we uncover, we find more pieces underneath…"

"You don't suppose…" suggested Karl. "You don't suppose that Avamerin is this enemy you have to eventually face?"

Ben shuddered.

"I hope not…" he said. "Disgraced angels only have a fraction of their former power, but even a fraction of that power is often power beyond belief…"

He thought for a minute.

"In the nightmare I had, Sertrous was clearly alive, so the battle with Avamerin must have taken place later… How _much_ later, that's the big question…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, Dugan was driving his D-Wheel down the main thoroughfare in Chicago known as the Loop. He paused as a light on his console flashed.

"Think you can get back here, chief?" said Nichole's voice. "Edgar and Penelope just forwarded us some information."

"I'll be there," said Dugan. "Just let me make one more quick sweep of the downtown area."

As Dugan drove down the main road, a D-Wheeler dressed in black, riding a jet-black bike came up behind him.

"HEY!" shouted Dugan, as the driver nearly sideswiped him.

"Watch where you're going, you…"

The D-Wheeler lifted his visor.

"Gee, Major," said the driver, who happened to be Hape, "I would have thought that folks like you would drive more offensively…

"Or is all that stuff about the Halls of Montezuma and the shores of Tripoli just talk?"

Dugan scowled. Insults directed at him rolled off him like water off a duck's back… But he would _not _stand by and take the Marines being insulted.

"Who are you?" he growled.

"Marcus Hape is my name…" said Hape.

He twirled an Obex of Darkness amulet on his finger.

"Want to know more than that, you're gonna have to catch me."

Dugan sped after him as Hape made a beeline towards Lake Shore Drive. He entered the name "Marcus Hape" into his onboard computer.

A large question mark appeared on the screen.

_No information at all? _he thought. _Who is this guy?_

He looked ahead.

The words from the old song about a spider inviting a fly into its parlor started running through his head, but he couldn't ignore someone with that pendant.

"You're on!" he shouted, as the two of them pulled onto Lake Shore Drive.

"Activating Speed World 2!" shouted both duelists.

"_Duel mode engaged," _flashed a message on their screens. _"Plotting course for cross-town racetrack… Awaiting approval from central grid…_

"_Approval granted…"_

Lake Shore Drive started to transform. The barriers sprang into place, and the duel lane quickly formed. Warning lights started to flash.

"_Turbo Duel underway," _said a voice on a loudspeaker, as the two duelists swerved onto the special lane. _"All traffic must vacate dueling lane." _

**(Dugan: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Hape: 8,000, SPC: 0)**

"I'll start this off!" laughed Hape, making a draw.

"And I summon… Strikeroid!"

A portal opened behind him, discharging… A Vehicroid. There was no doubt about it; the cartoonish jet plane with the face on the front was definitely one of that oddball group of Machines. (1,600 ATK)

Dugan lifted an eyebrow.

"I'll throw a card facedown," said Hape, "for later."

A set card appeared in front of his bike, and then faded from view.

"And it's your move…"

"I don't know what your game is," said Dugan, "but I can assure you, you aren't gonna win…

"I summon Scrap Chimera!"

A portal opened on his side of the field, and the mythological creature made of scrap metal and plywood flew out. (1,700 ATK)

"Destroy his Strikeroid!" shouted Dugan.

Flames appeared in Chimera's mouth.

"I activate… Supercharge!" shouted Hape, as his facedown card spun around. "Since you attacked my Vehicroid, I get to make two draws."

He quickly drew two cards.

"It's still all over for your roid," said Dugan.

Chimera blasted flames from its mouth, incinerating the toy jet.

"Or so you think," replied Hape. "When Strikeroid gets totaled, I can pay 800 Life Points to return it to my hand."

The card flipped out of his discard slot, and he added it to the row of cards next to him.

"I'll set these," said Dugan, as he set two cards, "and end my turn."

Hape made a draw.

**(D: 8,000, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 7,100, SPC: 2)**

He quickly set a card, and a facedown Monster appeared before fading from view. Then he set another card, and a card appeared set in his Spell Zone.

He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn.

Dugan made a draw. Both Speed Counters clicked up one notch.

"I summon Scrap Goblin!" he exclaimed.

The small Beast-Warrior Tuner made of spare parts flew out of the portal. (0 ATK)

"Then, I Tune it and Scrap Chimera together…"

Both Scraps turned into a cluster of stars, and flew into the sky…

"_Deep within the junkyard, an ominous portal to the Underworld opens! Soul of a demon, body of debris and cast-iron, rise from the infernal pits below!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Archfiend!"_

With a bellow, the cast-iron demon flew down in front of his bike. (2,700 ATK)

"Attack his Monster!" he shouted. "Blazing Bolts!"

Beams of burning energy shot from Scrap Archfiend's eyes. Sangan briefly appeared on the card, and was incinerated.

"Thank you," said Hape, as he took a card from his deck. "Now I can take Stealthroid from my deck."

_I just don't get it, _thought Dugan. _A Turbo Duel isn't exactly made to accommodate Vehicroids…_

_He can't use Vehicroid Connection Zone OR Power Bond… Not unless he wants to take 2,000 points of damage._

"I… end my turn…" he said.

Hape grinned as he made his draw.

"Now I summon one of my top guns," he said.

He threw three of his cards into his discard slot.

"I send Strikeroid, Stealthroid, and Turboroid from my hand to the Graveyard…"

Three airborne Vehicroids appeared above him, and started flying in formation… Then they soared into the sky.

"…in order to make a very special Fusion Summon…

"Descend… Solidroid α!"

A much larger Vehicroid flew down to the field, one that Dugan had never even heard of. This one did not look at all like the ones he was familiar with, and did not look nearly as friendly. It looked like a giant mecha from some Japanese anime, the type with a jet fighter theme. It was covered with armor, had Stealthroid's wings on its back, and had a pointed head, like the nose of a jet. (2,600 ATK)

"And when Solidroid α is successfully summoned," continued Hape, "it gains Attack Points equal to the Attack Points of one Monster on the field for the rest of the round. Like your Scrap Archfiend."

"No… way…" said Dugan.

"I believe the right response is," said Hape, "way."

(5,300 ATK)

"Attack!" shouted Hape. "Solid Beam!"

Solidroid α blasted a bolt of burning energy from its chest, eradicating Scrap Archfiend. Dugan lost control of his D-Wheel for a minute, and spun around twice before managing to regain control.

**(D: 5,400, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 7,100, SPC: 4)**

_Whoever this Hape fellow is, _thought Dugan, _he means business… These aren't your average run-o-the-mill Vehicroids…_

"I end my turn," said Hape, "which means that my Solidroid's Attack Score returns to normal."

(2,600 ATK)

"It's your move…"

Dugan made a draw.

"I throw down a facedown card," he said, as another set card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"Then, I summon Scrap Beast."

The portal opened, and the bestial robot leapt out, and started running beside his bike. (1,600 ATK)

"Now I activate," he said, as the card he had set last turn spun around, "Rising Energy! I toss one card…"

He discarded Scrap Shark.

"…and my Beast gains 1,500 Attack Points."

(3,100 ATK)

"Attack his Solidroid α!" he shouted. "Junkyard frenzy!"

Scrap Beast leapt at the giant mecha, plowing right through its chest. Black smoke poured from the wound, and then the huge Vehicroid crashed in a mighty explosion in the duel lane behind them.

"Seems I grounded your big, bad bot," said Dugan. "It's your move."

Hape chuckled as he drew a card.

"What's so funny?" asked Dugan.

**(D: 5,400, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 6,600, SPC: 6)**

"The name of that Monster was Solidroid α," said Hape. "As in, Solidroid _Alpha?_

"If there's an Alpha, wouldn't you think I also had a Beta?"

Before Dugan could answer, Stealthroid, Strikeroid, and Turboroid flew into formation above Hape's bike again.

"By removing these three roids in my Graveyard from play," continued Hape, "I can fuse them together…"

The three Vehicroids soared into the sky.

"…to Fusion Summon Solidroid β!"

A new mecha descended from the sky. It was the same general idea as Solidroid α, but with different armor and wings. It wore a reflective visor over its eyes. (2,500 ATK)

"Fortunately for you," said Hape, "I can only have one Solidroid on the field at a time… But Solidroid β has a useful effect… When summoned, it destroys one Monster."

The Solidroid blasted a beam of light, and Scrap Beast was blown to pieces.

"Now for you," continued Hape. "Solidroid β, attack directly with Beta missile strike!"

Two nasty-looking missiles appeared on the huge Vehicroid's wings…

"I activate… Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" shouted Dugan.

His facedown card spun around, and the metal Scarecrow appeared. The missiles plowed into it, leaving it dented, but still standing.

The Scarecrow vanished, and the Trap re-set on Dugan's side of the field.

"Humph…" said Hape.

He set a card, and a facedown card appeared in his Spell Zone, next to his other one.

"I end my turn…"

Dugan quickly made a draw.

"I summon Top Runner!" he shouted.

The portal opened again, and the athletic Tuner droid dashed out, running beside Dugan's bike. (1,100)

"Now, Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed, as his facedown card spun around.

Scrap Chimera flew onto the field once again. (1,700 ATK)

"Next, I'll Tune together Top Runner and Scrap Chimera…"

The Tuner and the non-Tuner flew into the sky above Lake Shore Drive…

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

Scrap Dragon roared as it flew above the racetrack. (2,800 ATK)

"Now, by destroying my useless Call of the Haunted," continued Dugan, "I can blow your Solidroid out of the sky."

Call of the Haunted shattered, and Scrap Dragon shot of bolt of energy at Solidroid β. Once again, smoke poured out of the huge Vehicroid's hull, and it crashed on the track in front of them.

Dugan and Hape sped through the flames with Scrap Dragon following.

"Scrap Dragon," commanded Dugan, "attack Mr. Hape directly!"

The cast-iron Dragon exhaled its toxic blaze, engulfing Hape's bike. Hape grunted and swerved a little…

"Not bad…" he muttered. "But I'm far from finished…

"It's my move!"

He made a draw.

**(D: 5,400, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,800, SPC: 8)**

"My Trap Card activates!" he shouted, as the facedown card he set in his second turn spun around. "Return from the Different Dimension!"

A large, glowing portal opened above the two D-Wheels, scintillating with energy.

"I'll pay half my Life Points," he continued, "and all three of the Monsters I removed from play return."

Stealthroid flew out of the portal first (1,200 ATK), then Strikeroid (1,600 ATK), and finally, Turboroid. (1,400 ATK)

"But I'm only going to remove them from play again…" he continued, as the three planes flew into formation again.

Then they flew into the sky for the third time.

"I summon… Solidroid γ!"

The mecha that appeared this time had a much darker theme. Its armor was jet black, its hands were cannons, and it had turbine-like cannons on its shoulders. (2,700 ATK)

"And when this mean Machine is successfully summoned," continued Hape, "all of your set cards are eradicated."

Scrap-Iron Scarecrow was blown to pieces.

"There's a small flaw in your plan," said Dugan. "Solidroid γ is weaker than my Dragon."

"Not for long," said Hape, as his other facedown card lifted up.

"I pay more 1,000 Life Points to activate Chaos Gear, and Equip it to Solidroid γ!"

A golden gear with six teeth appeared on the roid's chest.

"Chaos Gear?" shouted Dugan. "Wait… Karl told me about that… Gripilus used it… Except it was a Spell!"

"And now it's a Trap!" laughed Hape. "And every time my Solidroid γ attacks, a die will roll, and it gains 500 Attack Points times the number rolled for that battle."

Numbers started to flash on both D-Wheels' consoles. Finally, the number 5 came up.

"Five," said Hape. "That means my Monster gains 2,500 Attack Points."

(5,200 ATK)

"Attack Scrap Dragon!" he shouted. "Solid Strike!"

Solidroid γ blasted energy beams from all four of its cannons. Dugan braced himself as Scrap Dragon blew up, and pieces of hot metal scattered all over the racetrack.

"I use Scrap Dragon's effect!" he shouted. "I Special Summon Scrap Chimera to the field!"

Scrap Chimera appeared in front of him, sitting in Defense Mode. (500 DEF)

Hape set a card and it appeared facedown.

"I end my turn," he said, as Solidroid γ's Attack Score returned to 2,700.

**(D: 3,000, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 900, SPC: 8)**

Dugan looked at the one card in his hand, Scrap Mind Reader.

_I've got to do something fast, _he thought. _On his next turn, he'll have ten Speed Counters, enough to use all three effects of Speed World and all but the most powerful Speed Spells._

_And for some reason, he isn't using the five cards in his hand… Is he saving them so he can summon Super Vehicroid Stealth Union? That thing would end the duel pretty quickly. _

He drew a card. Both Speed Counters clicked up to 9. It was Scrap Soldier.

That was halfway there, but…

"I use the effect of Speed World 2!" he shouted. "I drop seven Counters to draw one card."

He fell behind Hape and made one draw.

"Perfect!" he said. "Say goodbye to that Chaos Gear, and hello to Trap Eater!"

The Fiend with the huge mouth appeared, and swallowed the Equipped Trap in one gulp. (1,900 ATK)

"BLEACH!" it gasped, sticking out its tongue and turning a little green.

"Seems my Dark Forge card made it sick!" laughed Hape.

"We'll see who laughs last," said Dugan. "I sacrifice Trap Eater…"

The very sick Fiend looked almost relieved as it vanished.

"…to summon Scrap Soldier."

The humanoid Warrior made of junk and spare parts appeared, flying next to Scrap Chimera. (2,100 ATK)

"All right…" said Dugan. "Soldier, Chimera… Tune yourselves together…"

The two Scraps flew into the sky, and turned into nine glowing stars…

"_Mighty engines rebuilt out of refuse and recycled material, form a being that can rule as king over the junkyard that spawned it!"_

**(*5 + *4 = *9)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Twin Dragon!"_

The roars of the two-headed Dragon's heads shook Lake Shore Drive as it descended from the sky. (3,000 ATK)

"Unfortunately," said Dugan, "I'm short on cards… So I can't use its effect… So… I'll just attack!

"Toxic hurricane!"

Scrap Twin Dragon blasted its poisonous breath, and Solidroid γ crashed just as its two brothers did.

"Well, Hape," said Dugan. "Unless you have a Solidroid Ω in that deck, I'd say your whole fleet has been grounded.

"In end my turn."

**(D: 3,000, SPC: 1) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 600, SPC: 9)**

Hape made a draw. His Speed Counters clicked up to 10.

"My whole fleet?" he asked "Only my air force. I still have some ground artillery that's pretty formidable…

"Or rather, I have one particular one that should do the job…"

He played a card.

"I play Speed Spell – Speed Fusion!" he shouted. "I'm going to summon the mightiest Vehicroid of all…"

He took his entire hand, and threw it all into his discard slot.

"Five Monsters?" shouted Dugan. "Not even Stealth Union needs that many!"

"Whoever said I was summoning that guy?" asked Hape.

The five cards appeared over his bike: Drillroid, Steamroid, Patroid, Gyroid, and Jetroid. Then, they vanished, and a _huge _Machine rose behind his D-Wheel…

It was beyond belief… The biggest, nastiest-looking Vehicroid Dugan had ever seen. It looked like a giant valve with laser cannons mounted on top and anti-gravity engines on the bottom for locomotion.

"Meet Barbaroid the Ultimate Battle Machine," said Hape.

(4,000 ATK)

"Four-thousand?" gasped Dugan.

"Destroy his Dragon!" ordered Hape. "Obliteration ray!"

Barbaroid fired a bolt of pure light at Scrap Twin Dragon. Its two mouths screamed before it burst into globules of energy.

"ERGH!" shouted Dugan.

"And when Barbaroid destroys a Monster," continued Hape, "you lose 1,000 additional Life Points."

**(D: 1,000, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 600, SPC: 10)**

"I use Scrap Twin Dragon's effect!" shouted Dugan.

"Actually, you don't," replied Hape. "When Barbaroid crushes a Monster, that Monster's effect is negated.

"But… If you really want to summon a Scrap from your Graveyard…"

His facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Foolish Revival! It summons a Monster from your Graveyard to your side of the field in Defense Mode."

Scrap Beast appeared in front of Dugan. (1,300 DEF)

"Why'd I do that?" continued Hape. "Because… Barbaroid can attack twice… Only problem is, it can't attack directly."

The Ultimate Battle Machine fired again, eradicating Scrap Beast. Dugan screamed as his D-Wheel screeched to a stop.

**(D: 0, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 600, SPC: 10)**

Steam poured out of Dugan's engine. Hape stopped his bike for a moment.

"So what do they teach you in basic training?" he asked. "Ballet?"

Dugan was furious now… He could take losing a fight, but this guy was hitting below the belt. He slammed his fists into his dashboard.

"Well, that was fun," said Hape. "By the way, tell your green, pointy-eared friend, I'm watching him…

"Pryce can't tell him what he truly needs to know… He has to learn it the hard way."

Then he sped off, laughing.

Dugan's console started beeping. He hit the button.

"Chief?" said Karl's voice. "Do you need help?"

"I'll be at the penthouse in ten minutes," said Dugan. "Don't start anything until I get there."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Dugan entered the penthouse, Nichole, Karl, and Ben were in front of the computer.

"Penelope and Edgar were actually able to find very little," said Karl. "We got the names of some businesses that this 'benefactor' might be buying from, and we can check them out.

"But one piece of information that might be valuable is this: Green Cheese."

"Green Cheese?" asked Nichole. "You mean what they used to say the moon was made of?"

"Well, the words 'Green Cheese' seem to be a password for some computer file..." replied Karl. "But without knowing who Scath and Nasquet's benefactor actually is, finding this file could take... years."

"Hmm..." said Dugan.

"But I did find out one thing about who we're up against..." continued Karl. "Judging by the cards in the decks of some of the duelists we've been opposing recently..."

Some cards came up on the screen. They were Alligator's Dragonsword, Dark Umpire, and Poison Butterfly.

"These cards have a common thread, in addition to being very powerful," continued Karl. "All of them are _incredibly _rare. Each one is one of only ten or less in existence."

"Roxy was nothing more than a grunt for this organization..." said Nichole. "They also paid for her to have cosmetic surgery to remove the tattoo she got in the Serpents."

"I hate to say this, people..." said Karl, "but we may be dealing with a group whose wealth exceeds Jalal's..."

"How is that possible?" asked Ben.

"Ever hear the old proverbs 'Crime Doesn't Pay' and 'Cheaters Never Prosper'?" asked Dugan.

"Yes…" said Ben.

"Complete nonsense, both of them," said Dugan. "Crime is one of the profitable businesses out there, at least until you get caught.

"As for _when _a criminal gets caught… A small-time crook that shoves a gun in a gas station attendant's face is gonna get caught fast. A big-time criminal mastermind who makes too many enemies and plots a grandiose scheme like Saramanda did is gonna get caught eventually.

"But an evil organization that stays below the radar, doesn't rattle the wrong cages, and doesn't cross the fine line can live very comfortably and make a pretty big profit for years before someone takes them down."

He sighed.

"What about these strange Equip Spells they've been using?"

"Well, those are even stranger," replied Karl. "My searches of card databases came up blank…

"Then I looked up the names that they seem to be associated with: Decarabia, Azael, and Obox-Ob…

"I've only found brief references to those names in very old essays regarding the worship of the Dark God… If you want an opinion, I think they might be the names of demonic beings that were part of his entourage…

"Beings of madness who came from the same realm of insanity that he came from so many eons ago…"

"Who were likely punished along with him when he was defeated," said Nichole. "The question is, how is their stuff being made into cards?"

"To find that out we have to uncover what this Green Cheese means," said Dugan. "And I think maybe I might be able to speak to someone about that. General Curtis might have mentioned something called Green Cheese before…"

"General Curtis?" asked Karl. "That retired Air Force General?"

"Oh, I know who you're talking about…" said Nichole. "I saw him in the movie theater last week… He was sitting in the first row, seats A, B, and C."

Both Karl and Nichole laughed.

"Okay people, okay…" said Dugan. "We all know that he's overweight, but fat jokes are very immature… It's not even his fault, really…"

"Maybe it's his wife's fault…" said Karl. "She can't help being such a great cook!"

They both laughed again.

"All right, all right…" said Dugan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lorelei and Tiberius were waiting in a room containing sewing machines, mannequins, and dry cleaning equipment.

No-one ever questioned where evil sorcerers and dark warlocks got the exotic clothes that they wore. When one actually thought about it, it was rather absurd to think that all of them made them themselves. Sewing wasn't a skill that most of them picked up.

The truth was, specialized tailors did exist for this type of clientele. Most of them were ordinary tailors most of the time, but figured they could make more money with "special" customers. They were big on confidentiality. They asked no questions, did what they were told, and did indeed make a great deal of money in this side business.

Lareth walked out of the fitting room. The left side of his face was now covered with a steel mask, concealing his ugly scars, his hair still worn loose. He was wearing grey leather armor wrapped in chains with large shoulder guards.

"I like it…" he muttered, as he looked in a full-length mirror. "Kind of a retro-modern Phantom of the Opera…"

"You'll like this even more," said Lorelei.

She handed him a deck of cards.

"It's a vast improvement over that old one…" she said. "Not many members of our order have been able to control the creatures in this deck, much less master them… But you should be able to."

Lareth looked over the cards.

"They seem sufficient," he said.

"And as for the surprise I promised…" said Tiberius. "It will make the perfect final addition to it."

He held up a small pine chest, the lock shaped like a skull.

"This card was created five years ago by the last person to hold the title of the Third. He perished soon after, and was replaced by the current one. In any event, it was made specifically for the Champion of Elemental Evil…"

The box opened, revealing a card whose silver borders indicated that it was a Synchro.

"Consider it his legacy… And a gift…"

Lareth picked up the card, and carefully read the text.

He nodded.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TURBOROID (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,400  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Flavor Text: **_A Vehicroid with the power of flight. It has untapped potential…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**STRIKEROID (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 400

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may pay 800 Life Points to return it to your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SOLIDROID ****α**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **_Strikeroid + Stealthroid + Turboroid_

This card cannot be Special Summoned except from your Fusion Deck by sending the above-named Monsters from your hand to the Graveyard. (You do not use "Polymerization".) You can only control 1 "Solidroid" Monster. On the turn this card is successfully Summoned, select 1 face-up Monster your opponent controls. Increase the ATK of this card by the ATK of the selected Monster until the end phase of the turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SOLIDROID ****β**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 1,900

**Card Description: **_Strikeroid + Stealthroid + Turboroid_

This card cannot be Special Summoned except from your Fusion Deck by removing the above-named Monsters in your Graveyard from play. (You do not use "Polymerization".) You can only control 1 "Solidroid" Monster. On the turn this card is successfully Summoned, destroy 1 opposing Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SOLIDROID ****γ**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **_Strikeroid + Stealthroid + Turboroid_

This card cannot be Special Summoned except from your Fusion Deck by removing the above-named Monsters you control from play. (You do not use "Polymerization".) You can only control 1 "Solidroid" Monster. On the turn this card is successfully Summoned, destroy all of your opponent's facedown cards.

_Note: The preceding five cards were used by Sho in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – CHAOS GEAR (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A demon holding up a small, silvery gear and looking at it, scratching his head.

**Card Description: **Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. When this card is activated, it is treated as an Equip Spell that Equips to a Machine-Type Monster you control. When the Equipped Monster battles another Monster, roll 1 die. Increase the ATK of the Equipped card by 500x the result of the roll during the Damage Step only. If the Equipped Monster would be affected by the effect of an opponent's card, roll 1 die. If the roll is 1, 3, or 5, negate the effect and destroy the card. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Jalal: How many people does the threat of Tharizdun's release endanger? It's like asking how many stars are in the sky.**_

_**Both questions have an easy answer: "All of them". **_

_**There's not a single being who would not suffer if the Mad God broke free and put his plans into action. Even his most loyal servants, who work towards the goal with freeing him in mind, knowing that only death will be the reward, would realize that they have made a terrible mistake if it actually happened. They cannot comprehend the pain and suffering that would be unleashed upon them. **_

_**For this reason, the Shadowchasers are clearly not alone in our goal to stop him. Who knows who else is working at this moment to take action and put a stop to the plans of the Order of the Dark God?**_

_**Next chapter, someone will try. "Negotiations; The Sorcerer" is coming soon.**_


	33. Negotiations, The Sorcerer

_Author's note: Response to one rather… unique supporting character in "Power Primordial" was so overwhelming, I felt a need to include her in this fic as well, in this chapter and maybe later on. After all, Tharizdun is going to be everyone's problem sooner or later, and smart groups are going to take initiative._

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Negotiations**

**The Sorcerer**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The Black Forest of Germany.

Through this dark and foreboding wood, a lone woman hiked. She was tall, she wore a black leather outfit and sunglasses, and her long, blonde hair was tied in a ponytail. She wore a sword on her back, along with much of the other equipment that the Shadowchasers carried, but she was not one of them.

Her name was Minerva. She hadn't used her last name in years, not since her mentor had taken her from the orphanage in Rome when she was ten. That was when she had officially joined the Knights of Domiel.

Domiel was one of seven celestial beings known collectively as the Hebdomad. They were born in the fires of the Big Bang at the creation of the universe, and acted as intermediaries between other celestial beings and the Demiurge, a mysterious entity who in turn acted as an intermediary between them and the King of Heaven. So powerful was the Hebdomad that evil creatures hesitated to speak their names, just as most folks were afraid to speak the name of the dread Tharizdun.

Each member of the Hebdomad ruled over a specific area of divinity. In Domiel's case, bravery, loyalty, and righteousness were his tenants. He was the patron of heroic warriors… But he was the sworn enemies of assassins and hired killers, murderers who killed by ambush for profit. They were without honor in his eyes. The Knights of Domiel were an organization dedicated to eradicating this profession… One at a time if need be.

Most of the time the Knights of Domiel showed no fear…

So why then, did Minerva shiver as she approached the old ruin of stones overgrown with vines and moss in front of her?

She tapped a communication device on her watch.

"Minerva here," she said, nervously. "I've reached Domonous's abode."

"Be careful, Minerva…" said a voice from the device. "You know how dangerous that… Thing can be… The last thing I need is…"

Before he could finish, a green aura enveloped Minerva. She vanished, and the watch fell to the ground.

"Minerva?" said the voice from the watch.

"Minerva!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Minerva appeared in an underground chamber, landing with a thump on her behind.

She quickly got up. The chamber was made entirely out of a strange, blue crystal, with pillars and odd clusters of crystal on the ceiling.

At the far end was a throne, with a man sitting on it… sort of. It was a decrepit, gaunt body dressed in a wizard's robe, his eyes blank, his beard four feet long and unkempt, his right hand clutching a glowing silver orb on the throne's armrest.

A voice came from it, not from the mouth, which didn't seem to move, but rather from the orb. It spoke in a tone that seemed pompous and bossy.

"You never learn, do you?" said the voice. "You can't sneak up on me, Minerva."

"It was worth a shot," replied Minerva. "I see you're still in the same place you were last time, Domonous."

"Maybe my body is…" replied Domonous. "But my mind has learned much since last time… It has explored many realities, pluming the mysteries of this universe and many others."

"And I still say the price you paid for this power was horrible," said Minerva, as she looked at him in disgust. "Look at you… You're little more than a corpse, using that precious orb not only to gain the knowledge you wanted, but to maintain this mockery of life that you have."

The orb glowed with silvery light. Then a blast of energy shot from it. Minerva shrieked as it hit her, knocking her against the wall with a splat.

"You would be wise not to insult my power, Minerva…" he said, now slightly annoyed.

Minerva looked at him as she got up. She looked at the sphere his right hand rested on, the Orb of Silvery Death. She knew that if she managed to grab it and wrest it away from him, he would crumble into dust…

But she'd never succeed. His magic was too great. She'd be dead before she reached him.

"What do _you _get, may I ask," he continued, "from your constant devotion to Domiel? He gives you orders, you follow them… It doesn't seem very rewarding."

"I get the same thing priests, nuns, and rabbis get when they take their vows," replied Minerva, as she stood up. "Enlightenment and the promise of eternal rewards when my time to leave the world comes. You have knowledge, Domonous, but you can't take it with you."

"Let's stop beating around the bush," said Domonous. "Why did you come back to bother me?"

"Lareth the Beautiful is free," replied Minerva. "The Cult of Tharizdun is up to something."

"I know," said the Incantifer. "And it is not my concern. I believe it is not yours either."

"It's _everyone's _concern!" shouted Minerva. "You know what Tharizdun's plans are, and if they ever come to fruition, all will perish, including you. The Orb of Silvery Death may render you immune to the influence of divine forces – that's why we thought you might be able to help in the first place – but you won't survive the likely cataclysm that will occur if Tharizdun is freed.

"And as for us, the Knights of Domiel may not be able to directly interfere, but we cannot stand idly by while they plan whatever apocalyptic plot they are concocting."

"Well, I may know of one way I can disrupt their plans…" replied Domonous. "But I'm not sure I want to waste the effort.

"You see, Minerva, I truly doubt that they'll ever succeed in freeing Tharizdun. The difference between you and me is, _I'm_ an optimist, and _you're_ a pessimist. No-one likes a pessimist."

"Too much optimism can be a bad thing too," said Minerva.

"You know Domonous… My superiors might know where the Orb of Golden Death is…"

She looked at him. He said nothing.

"I see I may have struck a nerve," she said. "You know what that is, don't you… The 'mate' of that orb you're using right now, isn't it? If the proper ritual were to be cast upon either, they would both unmake themselves…

"Or… If you had both, your power would double…

"And if you're thinking of taking me prisoner and forcing its location out of me, I'll tell you right now, I personally don't know where it is. My superiors do."

"_**See here Minerva!" **_boomed the wizard, as an aura of blue flames surrounded him and his throne.

Minerva stepped back in fright, thinking she might have gone a little too far with the old fellow.

"I cannot be threatened…" said Domonous. "I cannot be bought…

"But… I do like a challenge now and then. Maybe an ante?"

"A wager?" asked Minerva. "I wager location of the Orb of Golden Death, and you promise to do this… thing that may help if you lose.

"That may be acceptable… But you're invalid, so fencing is out of the question… And my powers of sorcery are pathetic compared to yours."

"Then why not make the fight fair in the same way my old rival Jalal Stormbringer did when he amended the Great Treaty years ago?" asked Domonous.

"Duel Monsters?" asked Minerva. "I had no idea you could play."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," replied Domonous.

Minerva sighed. She was no Shadowchaser, and wasn't used to using the card game to resolve issues. She could still duel when she had to… In these times, it wasn't always avoidable. Still, she wasn't sure if she could defeat someone like Domonous in a game that was so strategy oriented.

Still, she realized she had little choice.

She held up her left arm, and a special Duel Disk appeared on it; a sleek, streamlined model with silver plating, with four glyphs on its upper chamber depicting the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations: The White Tiger, the Black Tortoise, the Azure Dragon, and the Vermillion Bird.

"I see you've decided to accept my challenge…" said Domonous.

The Orb of Silvery Death glowed, and a dueling mat made of silver appeared in front of him, with a deck in a holder. The deck shuffled itself, and then five cards were drawn off the top, one by one, and positioned themselves in mid-air in front of his face.

Minerva made her five draws.

_Hope this works… _she thought.

**(Minerva: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Domonous: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move," said the wizard, "unless there are any objections."

Minerva didn't make any, so he made a sixth draw. One of his six cards set itself on the duel mat and a set Monster appeared in front of him at the same time.

"First I'll defend with this Monster…" he said.

Three more cards fell into the Spell Zone of his duel mat, two upside-down and one right-side-up. Two set cards and a Continuous Spell appeared behind the set Monster.

"I'll set two cards, and then play Arcane Barrier.

"It's your move…"

_Arcane Barrier? _thought Minerva, as she drew a card. _Must be using Spellcasters… Figures… Magic is the only profession he respects. _

She looked at her hand.

_Still, the unspoiled power of Nature can defeat even the greatest archmage, and I'm going to prove it._

"I summon Naturia Beetle!" she exclaimed, throwing a card onto her Disk.

There was a surge of energy, and a stag beetle that seemed to have an acorn for a body and leaves for wings appeared in front of her. (400 ATK)

"It may have only 400 Attack Points," she said, "but whenever a Spell Card is played, its Attack and Defense Scores switch…

"A Spell Card like this one… Landoise's Luminous Moss."

She quickly played the card, and Naturia Beetle's Attack Score became 1,800.

"And due to the effect of Landoise's Luminous Moss, because I have a Naturia on the field, your Effect Monsters can't activate their effects. And it doesn't matter where those effects activate.

"Whatever that card does, it's not doing it. Attack!"

Naturia Beetle charged the set Monster. Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card momentarily before shattering.

"Not bad…" said Domonous. "You avoided a very dangerous Flip-Effect…

"However… Your Moss does nothing to Spell Cards, and since you destroyed a Spellcaster, my Arcane Barrier gains a Spell Counter."

"It's your move…" said Minerva.

"I draw…" said Domonous, as another card flew off his deck.

"Perfect…"

It fit itself into the slot on the duel mat reserved for Field Spells.

"I conjure up the Magical Citadel of Endymion!"

There was a loud rumble, and the crystal chamber turned into a void, but then gave way to buildings that rose up around them, building of gothic beauty and incredible design. A great tower surrounded by two magical rings of energy – the Citadel itself – rose directly behind Domonous.

"That's trouble…" said Minerva, looking up, as Naturia Beetle reverted back to an Attack Score of 400.

"More than you know," replied Domonous. "For now, I activate Pitch-Black Power Stone."

One of his facedown cards lifted up, and a black sphere with an inverted triangular design on the front appeared in front of him.

"This Stone has three Spell Counters, and once per turn, I can transfer one of them to any card that can hold a Spell Counter.

"But who has the time?"

His other facedown card lifted up, revealing Mystical Space Typhoon. The whirlwind encircled the Pitch-Black Power Stone, and it shattered.

"Whenever a card with Spell Counters on it is destroyed, its Spell Counters go to the Citadel right away. So it has three now, plus a fourth because I used a Spell Card."

"And Naturia Beetle's Attack Score is 1,800 again," replied Minerva.

"A trifling matter," said Domonous, as another set Monster appeared in front of him. "It's your move…"

Minerva looked at the set Monster. She made a draw.

"I summon Naturia Spiderfang!" she shouted.

She played the card, and a cartoonish spider with a yellow polka-dotted exoskeleton and sleepy eyes appeared next to the Beetle. (2,100 ATK)

"Naturia Beetle, attack his Monster!"

The Beetle scurried towards the hidden Monster. Apprentice Magician appeared on the card briefly, and was then blown to bits by the Beetle's horn.

"I use Apprentice Magician's effect," said Domonous, as another set Monster appeared in front of him.

"Why thank you!" said Minerva, putting her hand on her hip. "Spiderfang can't attack unless you activate a card effect!"

Spiderfang scurried towards the new set Monster…

…then Minerva's face fell when she saw it was another Apprentice Magician. The young Spellcaster was crushed by the large Insect, but another set Monster appeared in her place.

"Don't get too smug, Minerva…" said Domonous. "People who deal with me and develop big heads often lose them."

_He's right, _thought Minerva. _Underestimating this guy would be a big mistake…_

She waved her hand to signal the end of her turn.

Domonous made a draw.

"I flip my second Old Vindictive Magician into Attack Mode," he said.

The bent old witch doctor appeared, leaning on a staff. (450 ATK)

"I'm certain you know of its effect…"

Naturia Spiderfang shattered into pixels.

"Next, my Arcane Barrier Spell Card has three Spell Counters on it. It can take up to four, but rather than tempt fate, I'll use its effect now, sending it and Old Vindictive Magician to the Graveyard to draw one card per Counter."

Old Vindictive Magician and the Spell Card vanished. Three cards were added to the two floating in front of him.

"Then, I play Fiend's Sanctuary…"

Naturia Beetle fell to an Attack Score of 400 again as a Metal Fiend Token appeared on his side of the field. (0 ATK)

"And then I sacrifice it…"

The Token vanished.

"…for Dark Red Enchanter."

A far more menacing Spellcaster appeared where the Token had been. Dressed in crimson robes with a golden headdress, he clutched a long staff with a blood-red ruby on the end. (1,700 ATK)

"He gains two Spell Counters right away and 300 Attack Points for each…"

(2,300 ATK)

"Now, I use his effect…" he continued. "By expending two of his Spell Counters, one card in your hand is destroyed.

"But… I can expend a Counter from my Citadel instead."

The Spellcaster fired a bolt of energy from his staff, and a card in Minerva's hand shattered.

"Swat that Beetle!" ordered the wizard. "Dark red shock wave!"

Dark Red Enchanted fired crimson bolts of lightning, obliterating the Insect and knocking Minerva down.

**(M: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 8,000)**

"In case you aren't keeping track…" said Domonous, "my Citadel now has three Spell Counters on it."

_And the more power it absorbs the worse it gets, _thought Minerva. _Any Monster that needs to expend Spell Counters to use an effect can expend them from the Citadel instead of from itself._

_Even worse, the Citadel itself is almost indestructible so long as it has at least one Counter…_

"I end my turn…" said Domonous.

Minerva made a draw.

She quickly set two cards, and a set card and a set Monster appeared in front of her.

"That will do…" she said.

"Humph…" said Domonous, making a draw.

"I summon Arcane Apprentice."

There was a small burst of flames, and a little guy wearing a blue wizard's robe and a hood that covered his whole face except his eyes appeared. He clutched a long, wooden wand. (1,000 ATK)

"Heh…" said Minerva. "That's… Almost cute…"

"Dark Red Enchanter, attack her Monster!" shouted Domonous.

The Spellcaster fired his bolts of energy, and a large, square-shaped boulder with a face on the front and moss growing on top appeared on the card right before it was blown to pebbles.

"I activate Naturia Cliff's effect!" shouted Minerva. "When it gets pulped, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Naturia from my deck. So come on out, Naturia Fruitfly!"

Fruitflies were so named because they were pests that damaged fruit and other plant crops, or because they helped such crops by eating insects that did. This fruitfly, however, clearly got its name because it was _made _of fruit. Its head was a blueberry, its thorax was a blackberry, and its abdomen was a strawberry. It had leaves for wings and bored-looking eyes. (800 ATK)

"Now who's going for cute?" asked Domonous.

"Cute it may be, but it has a couple of powerful effects," said Minerva. "The first one lowers the Attack and Defense Scores of all opposing Monsters by 300 for each Naturia I have…"

Dark Red Enchanter's Attack Score fell to 2,000, while Arcane Apprentice's fell to 700.

"…so it seems Arcane Apprentice isn't strong enough to destroy it now."

Domonous paused.

"I end my turn…" he said.

Minerva made a draw.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" she shouted, as her facedown card lifted up.

Naturia Cliff appeared again. (1,500 ATK)

"I have two Naturia now," she continued, "so your two Monsters lose 300 more points from each Score."

Dark Red Enchanter fell to an Attack Score of 1,700, while Arcane Apprentice fell to 400.

"And there's more…" said Minerva, with a grin. "Naturia Fruitfly has a second effect… Once per turn, it lets me take control of an opposing Monster with zero Defense Points."

"I don't have a Monster with…" started Domonous.

Then he realized what had happened. Naturia Fruitfly's effect had reduced the Defense Score of Arcane Apprentice to zero.

Fruitfly's wings started droning, and Arcane Apprentice was pulled over to Minerva's side of the field.

"I don't see what good it will do you," said Domonous. "Arcane Apprentice may be a Tuner, but it's a Fire Monster. All Naturia Synchros need Earth Tuners."

"I'll use it in a minute," replied Minerva. "First, because I activated the effect of a Naturia Monster, I can Special Summon Naturia Hydrangea from my hand."

Three large hydrangea plants with feminine eyes sprouted from the ground and looked at Domonous. (1,900 ATK)

"And as for your Arcane Apprentice," continued Minerva, as the small Spellcaster vanished, "I'm going to sacrifice it. High-Level non-Synchro Naturia are few in number, but there are some.

"I summon Naturia Stag Beetle!"

A very large beetle, that seemed to be a larger relative of the first Monster Minerva summoned, appeared in the Spellcaster's place. It had large, violet leaves for wings, and crushing mandibles. (2,200 ATK)

Dark Red Enchanter groaned as his Attack Score fell to 1,100.

"Now let's battle!" shouted Minerva. "Naturia Cliff, bulldoze attack!"

With the sound of an avalanche, Naturia Cliff bull-rushed Dark Red Enchanter, crushing him.

"Naturia Stag Beetle, attack directly with vice grip!"

The large Insect rushed up to the wizard's throne, and grasped him with its mandibles. Domonous didn't even move… He had lost the ability to react to pain a long time ago, although he still felt it.

"Naturia Hydrangea, poison pollen!" continued Minerva.

The three flowers blew a gust of wind full of lethal spores at Domonous. Still, he made no reaction.

Finally, Naturia Fruitfly flew up and stung him on the chest.

**(M: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,700)**

"So…" said Minerva. "Now what do you say?"

"I say…" said Domonous.

He drew a card.

"…it's my move…"

He quickly set all four of his cards. They all appeared set in front of him, one a Monster, and three of them in his Spell Zone.

"That's all," he said.

Minerva grinned as she made a draw.

"This duel is over!" she exclaimed, as she played a Spell Card. "I play… Barkion's Bark!

"By playing this card when I have at least one Naturia on the field, you can't Trap Cards this turn… Sorry Domonous…

"Naturia Hydrangea, you first…"

The three flowers blew their poison wind. Morphing Jar appeared on the card, and shattered into shards.

"Now we must discard all cards in our hands and draw five new ones," said Domonous.

"I know how a Morphing Jar works," said Minerva with a grin.

She discarded her last card, and then made five draws.

"Might as well humor you…" she said. "Now, Stag Beetle, Cliff, Fruitfly… Attack him directly!"

The three Naturia rushed towards the mage…

"I activate… Dark Wall of Wind!" shouted Domonous, as a facedown Spell Card flipped up.

"Huh?" said Minerva.

A whirlwind of dark fog encircled the Incantifer, and the three Naturia were thrown backwards.

"Didn't go quite the way you planned, did it?" he asked.

_You can say that again… _thought Minerva. _Not only did he survive, his Citadel has two more Counters now!_

She looked at her five new cards.

"Uh…" she said. "I… guess I'll end my turn…"

Domonous quickly drew a sixth card.

"You're going to pay for that earlier assault, Minerva…" he said. "First, I will summon Anarchist Monk Ranshin."

There was an aura of black shadow, and monk wearing a red jacket with a fur collar and a leather vest with a wide-brimmed hat appeared on the field. He held a long, slender, golden wand, and wore a Hannibal Lecter mask over the lower part of his face. (1,800 ATK)

"Forget the effect of my Fruitfly?" asked Minerva.

(600 ATK)

"I activate Call of the Haunted next," continued Domonous, as a facedown card lifted up, "to bring back Arcane Apprentice."

The small Spellcaster reappeared, holding his wand high. (1,000 ATK) –) (0 ATK)

"Next, a Spell Card," continued Domonous, as his last facedown card lifted up. "Level Mirroring. I choose one of your Monsters, and the Level of one of my Monsters becomes the same Level as yours.

"So, because your Naturia Hydrangea is Level 5, Ranshin is now Level 5 as well.

"And now, I Tune my Arcane Apprentice with Anarchist Monk Ranshin…"

Arcane Apprentice waved his wand, and strange sigils appeared in the air. He and Ranshin turned into seven glowing stars that flew above the towers of the Magical Citadel.

"_Power of the cosmos channeled through a mortal vessel, the ultimate incarnation of sorcery! Destructive wielder of magic descend from the Citadel to smite my foes with pure power…"_

**(*2 + *5 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Arcanite Magician!"_

In an explosion of magical energy, a new Spellcaster appeared to challenge the four Naturia. He was dressed in silver fabric covered with odd shapes, wore a three-peaked hat, and carried a staff tipped with a green orb. (400 ATK)

"While he has only 400 Attack Points, he gains two Spell Counters just from being summoned," continued Domonous, "and 1,000 Attack Points for each."

(2,400 ATK)

Naturia Fruitfly glared at the Spellcaster, but Minerva didn't say anything as his Attack Score went down to 1,200… It likely didn't matter…

"I'll get to your Monsters in a minute," said Domonous. "First off, due to Arcane Apprentice, I get to take a specific Trap Card from my deck…"

A card appeared next to the others in front of him.

"And now, for each Spell Counter on the field that I expend, my Magician can destroy one of your cards. So, I'll take four Counters from my Citadel…"

Minerva shielded herself as all four of her Naturia shattered into shards.

"Heh…" she said with a nervous laugh. "Your Arcanite Magician still has only 1,200 Attack Points!"

"Then so be it!" said Domonous, as the Spellcaster aimed his staff at Minerva. "Attack her directly! Cosmic blast!"

Minerva grunted and fell down on her behind as a beam of magical energy struck her in the stomach.

**(M: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,700)**

Minerva looked up as a facedown card appeared behind Arcanite Magician. She knew exactly what it was… It was something that he was going to use to summon an even stronger Spellcaster…

She got up and dusted herself off.

"My move…" she said.

She drew a card. Then she quickly set a card, and it appeared in her Spell Zone.

"End!" she said.

_No Monsters? _thought Domonous. _Is she giving up?_

He paused.

_No… I'll never believe that…_

"I draw," he said, as he drew a new card.

"And I use the effect of Arcanite Magician again, but this time I will remove a Spell Counter from Arcanite Magician himself."

Arcanite Magician's Attack Score fell all the way to 200, and he aimed his staff at the set card.

"Chain!" shouted Minerva, as it lifted up. "Threatening Roar!"

"I figured as much," said Domonous. "Then there's no sense in not using this now…"

His facedown card lifted up. Lightning flashed.

"_Assault Mode Activate!"_

Lightning flashed again, and Arcanite Magician bathed in eldritch energy. He glowed with an uncanny, eerie light…

Then with a flash, he was gone, and a new Spellcaster had taken his place. His outfit had the same basic shape as Arcanite Magician, but was fancier, with flared shoulders and a bigger hat, colored orange and black. (900 ATK)

"Like his former self," continued Domonous, "Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode gains two Spell Counters upon being summoned, and gains 1,000 Attack Points for each. Fortunately, your Fruitfly is now gone."

(2,900 ATK)

"I'll set another Monster," he said, as a hidden Monster appeared next to the intimidating Spellcaster, "and that will be all for now…"

Minerva looked at the cards in her hand. She didn't have anything right now that even came close to being able to beat that Assault Mode Monster…

She drew a card.

_Magic must defeat magic, _she thought, as she looked at the Spell Card, _as a wise man once said._

"Okay, Domonous," she said, "it's a little early in the year for this vegetable, but I'm still going to summon Naturia Pumpkin."

A large, green pumpkin with a very calm face appeared in front of her. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, when I Normal Summon this guy when you have a Monster, I get to Special Summon another Naturia from my hand…

"And I choose Naturia Horneedle."

The Insect that appeared looked like the old-fashioned Killer Needle, but much cuter. Like the other Naturia Insects, its wings were leaves. (1,800 ATK)

"So you're standing up to my mighty magician with a big bee and an oversized squash?" asked Domonous.

"They're going to have help," replied Minerva. "I play the Spell Card, Leodrake's Mane!

"I get to choose one of my Naturia, like my Pumpkin, and while it loses its effect for one round… Well, see for yourself…"

Naturia Pumpkin's face turned from calm to downright savage. (3,000 ATK)

"Speechless?" asked Minerva. "My Monsters may be cute, but with a few accessories, they go from friendly to fearless!"

Naturia Pumpkin flew at the sorcerer, ramming into him hard. Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode grunted, and then shattered.

"I activate his effect!" shouted Domonous. "Whenever an Assault Mode Monster is destroyed, its Synchro counterpart can be Special Summoned from the Graveyard."

The regular Arcanite Magician started to appear…

"Not so fast!" interrupted Minerva. "Horneedle got to keep its effect, and it's using it now! By sacrificing another Naturia, like my Pumpkin, I can negate your Special Summon."

Naturia Pumpkin vanished, and Arcanite Magician shattered.

"Still my Battle Phase, I believe…" said Minerva.

Horneedle rushed at the set Monster. A Spellcaster in red with a blue cape, blue veil, and blue turban appeared, and shattered.

"That was my Crystal Seer," said Domonous. "Now I get to look at the top two cards from my deck…"

Two cards appeared in front of him.

"…then add one to my hand, and send one to the bottom of the deck."

He quickly chose one, and the other vanished.

"I'm done for now," he said.

**(M: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,600)**

_I got rid of Arcanite Magician… _thought Minerva, _but this guy always has a contingency plan…_

Domonous made a draw. He considered for a minute.

"I summon Crusader of Endymion," he said.

In an aura of particles of light, a new Spellcaster materialized in front of him. This one was wearing both robes and armor colored dark blue, with a helmet covering his whole face, and shield-like accessories on each arm. (1,900 ATK)

"Peachy…" said Minerva, sarcastically.

"Attack!" shouted Domonous. "Sorcerous blast!"

The Crusader pointed, and fired a beam of light, blowing Horneedle away. Minerva grunted a little.

"My turn comes to an end, Minerva," said the Incantifer. "And next round, I'll have a surprise."

**(M: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,600)**

_Surprise? _thought Minerva. _Does he mean Endymion himself?_

She did a quick count. The Citadel had six Counters on it right now… That was _exactly _enough to Special Summon Endymion the Master Magician using his effect, although she was clueless as to why, if he intended to, he ended his turn without doing so.

She drew a card.

She smiled.

"Time to tear down your city, Domonous!" she said.

"Have you forgotten the effect of my Citadel?" he asked. "It can't be destroyed by card effects so long as it has at least one Spell Counter."

"But we both know that Field Spells that can protect themselves have a weakness," added Minerva. "They can't save themselves if a second Field Spell is played."

She opened the Field slot on her Disk, and placed a card in it.

"I activate Naturia Forest!"

Domonous's eyes widened a little, as if in shock, as the eldritch city around him crumbled into dust. Then, trees, bushes, shrubs, and vines all sprouted out of the ground, covering the ruins with a thick, primal forest.

"Nature has taken back what man once seized," said Minerva. "I next set a Monster, and then one facedown card, and end my turn."

Two set cards appeared, one in each of her Zones.

"Your brief triumph will gain you nothing, Minerva," said Domonous, angrily, as he made a draw. "My Citadel may be gone, but I can still unleash my surprise…

"First, I Gemini Summon Crusader of Endymion…"

The Spellcaster's armor took on a more lustrous sheen as he lifted his arms.

"Then, I play the Spell Card… Miracle Synchro Fusion!"

Lightning flashed, as the Spell Card appeared. Arcanite Magician and Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode appeared behind Domonous.

"All I must do," he said, "is remove one Synchro Spellcaster and another Spellcaster in my Graveyard from play…"

The two Arcanites faded into nothing.

"…to Fusion Summon Arcanite Magician's most powerful form! Arise, Supreme Arcanite Magician!"

Lightning flashed again, and a new version of Arcanite Magician appeared in front of him. His robes were even fancier than the Assault Mode version, the edges even more flared, in violet and silver. (1,400 ATK)

"Like before, he gains two Spell Counters and 1,000 Attack Points for each…"

(3,400 ATK)

"And… By using Crusader of Endymion's effect, he can put one Spell Counter per round on any card that can take one, and gain 600 Attack Points in the process."

Supreme Arcanite Magician's Attack Score rose to 4,400, while Crusader's rose to 2,500.

"Now for your Monster," said Domonous. "I expend one Counter from my mage, to destroy it."

Supreme Arcanite Magician pointed his staff, and a pair of cherries with smiling faces appeared on the card. They shattered into shards of light.

"I activate Naturia Cherries' effect!" shouted Minerva. "When destroyed, I get to take two more Cherries from my deck, and set them!"

Two set Monsters appeared in front of her.

"I can only use Supreme Arcanite Magician's effect once per round," said Domonous. "But my Monsters can still attack…"

"Not so fast!" shouted Minerva, as her facedown card lifted up. "I activate… Zero Gravity!

"This Trap Card forces all Monsters on the field to switch Modes."

Crusader of Endymion crouched in Defense Mode. (1,200 DEF) Supreme Arcanite Magician followed suit. (2,800 DEF)

"Very well," said Domonous. "But with 2,800 Defense Points, not even your ace Monster can defeat him while he's defending.

"I end my turn."

_He knows about Naturia Exterio? _thought Minerva. _That Orb really _has _taught this guy a lot. _

She quickly made a draw.

"Okay, Domonous," she said, "to give myself a boost, I'm playing the Spell Card, Hidden Treasures of Nature."

The Spell Card appeared, and shined with a silvery light.

"I'll get rid of Barkion's Bark, Leodrake's Mane, and Landoise's Luminous Moss…"

She pocketed the three Spell Cards.

"…and in return, make two draws."

She drew two cards.

_Okay… _she thought. _This just might work…_

"I flip both Naturia Cherries into Attack Mode," she said.

Two more pairs of the smiling fruits appeared in front of her. (200 ATK x2)

"Next, I play… Instant Fusion!"

She threw another Spell Card into her Disk.

"I'll drop 1,000 Life Points to summon Karbonala Warrior!"

In a burst of energy, a knight clad in violet plate armor and a helmet, holding a sword and a shield appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"Next, I'll Tune Karbonala Warrior and one Naturia Cherries together…"

The Tuner and the Fusion Monster flew into the sky above Naturia Forest, turning into a cluster of glowing stars…

"_Primal and savage God of the West, avatar of autumn! Byakko, appear before me and punish the infidels with your powerful claws!"_

**(*1 + *4 = *5)**

"_Synchro Summon... Naturia Beast!"_

A large Beast leapt onto the field that didn't seem at all as friendly as the other Naturia. It was a large tiger with green fur, with limbs that appeared to be made at least partially out of wood. (2,200 ATK)

"I'm just getting started!" continued Minerva. "Next, because I Synchro Summoned a Naturia Monster, I can Special Summon a Monster I ditched with your Morphing Jar… Naturia Ladybug!"

A small, adorable Ladybug appeared next to the intimidating tiger. (100 ATK)

"Then… I Tune Naturia Beast with my second Naturia Cherries…"

The large Beast and the small Plant leapt up into the sky. Again, two Monsters turned into a cluster of stars…

"_Wise and regal God of the East, avatar of spring! Seiryuu, appear before me and pass judgment with your divine flames!"_

**(*1 + *5 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Naturia Barkion!"_

With a roar, a large, serpentine, oriental Dragon appeared, covered in hard, grey scales. Its face echoed ferocity and wisdom at the same time. (2,500 ATK)

"Now, I play this," said Minerva, with a grin, as she held up a Spell Card. "Look familiar? I have Miracle Synchro Fusion too!"

Naturia Beast appeared beside Naturia Barkion, and the two divine creatures dissolved into particles of light.

"I remove Beast and Barkion from play to fuse them together…"

A shimmering portal opened…

"Come forward King of the Forest! I summon Naturia Exterio!"

With a roar so loud that it shook Naturia Forest, a Beast twice as large as Naturia Beast leapt out of the portal. It looked like Naturia Beast, wearing Naturia Barkion's armor over its head and down its back as an exoskeleton. (2,800 ATK)

"Now, by sacrificing my Ladybug," said Minerva, as the Insect vanished, "my Naturia gains 1,000 Attack Points for one round."

(3,800 ATK)

"Destroy Supreme Arcanite Magician! Roar of the Wild!"

Naturia Exterio let out an earsplitting roar, and the Spellcaster groaned before he shattered.

Minerva paused to catch her breath.

"Well…" she said. "That's enough for one turn…"

**(M: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,600)**

Domonous didn't say anything as he made a draw.

He set a card on his mat, and a facedown card appeared behind Crusader of Endymion.

_What's that? _thought Minerva. _A Trap? Doesn't he know what Exterio can do?_

"It's your move, Minerva," said the Incantifer.

Minerva drew a card.

_Hmm, _she thought. _I drew Nature's Fury…_

_If I played this, he'd take 1,900 points of damage when Exterio attacked Crusader…_

_But Exterio wouldn't survive the round. _

She looked at the other card in her hand, Magical Stone Excavation, something she couldn't use right now.

_Now other Monsters to summon, _she thought. _I'd best save it for later…_

"Naturia Exterio, attack Crusader of Endymion!" she shouted.

Exterio roared again, and Crusader shattered.

"Your move, Domonous," she said. "Unless you want to cast aside your huge ego and admit defeat."

"Never!" said Domonous, as he made a draw. "I summon Magical Exemplar."

In an aura of soft light, a young woman with long, dark hair, wearing a long, green jacket covered with runes and golden jewelry appeared. (1,700 ATK)

"Now, I activate… Shrink!" he said as his facedown card lifted up.

"I use Naturia Exterio's effect!" shouted Minerva. "By removing a card in my Graveyard from play, and then discarding the top card from my deck, I can negate a Spell or Trap Card!"

She pocketed one Naturia Cherries, and then discarded Miracle Fertilizer. The Shrink Spell shattered.

"And due to my Field Spell, because my Naturia Monster negated your card, I get to take a Level 3 or lower Naturia from my deck."

She took a card from her deck and looked at it. Naturia Cosmos Beet.

"You made a big mistake," she said.

"No I didn't," said Domonous. "I was expecting that. You see, because you negated my Spell, I can Special Summon Witch's Familiar from my hand!"

In an aura of darkness, a small black cat with glowing eyes appeared on the field. (500 ATK)

"And when Witch's Familiar is summoned this way, one Monster on the field loses 1,000 Attack Points."

Naturia Exterio fell to an Attack Score of 1,800.

"You know the old saying about what happens when a black cat crosses your path… It's time to slay your Beast."

"What are you saying?" said Minerva, nervously. "Exterio still has 100 more points than Magical Exemplar, and it can still negate your Spells and Traps…

"Unless…"

"That's right, Minerva…" said Domonous, as Witch's Familiar and Magical Exemplar soared above the forest. "Witch's Familiar is also a Tuner…"

The two Monsters slowly faded into a cluster of stars.

"One which I will use to summon a Spellcaster of a different sort…"

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"Synchro Summon… Tempest Magician!"

A swarm of bats flew out of the forest, and a new Spellcaster formed among them. It was Magical Exemplar, dressed in a blue jacket now, with an angry look on her face, and holding a scythe. (2,200 ATK)

"Before I attack," continued Domonous, "I'm going to use her effect. She has one Spell Counter already, and for each card in my hand that I discard…"

The five cards in his hand vanished.

"She gains another. And now I can remove them all to deal 500 points of damage for each!"

Tempest Magician lifted her weapon to the heavens and thunder rolled. Minerva wanted to run, but she couldn't. Lightning crashed down, striking her. She screamed.

"And now, Tempest Magician will smite your Naturia Exterio!" ordered Domonous.

The blade of the scythe glowed red, and Tempest Magician leapt at the weakened Beast, making a violent slash and cutting it in half.

Thunder rolled in the distance.

"It's your move…" he said.

**(M: 400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,600)**

_And this had better be the best move ever… _thought Minerva. _He has no cards in his hand right now, but he'll draw one on his next turn, and he can use it to put a Counter on Tempest Magician… It will be all he needs to finish me…_

"Draw!" she shouted.

She quickly made a draw.

"I play… Pot of Avarice!" she shouted, as she played the card.

She quickly took Exterio, Pumpkin, Horneedle, Cliff, and Fruitfly from her discard slot. She shuffled them into her deck, and made two draws.

"Perfect!" she said, as she played another Spell Card. "I activate Burial from a Different Dimension! I'll send Naturia Beast and Naturia Barkion back to my Graveyard!"

She slipped the two cards into her discard slot.

"Then, Magical Stone Excavation!" she shouted, as she played a third Spell Card. "I'll get rid of these…"

She discarded two cards, Naturia Cosmos Beet and her second Naturia Forest.

"…to get back Miracle Synchro Fusion!"

The Spell Card reappeared in her hand.

"And that means I can play it again," she said, "to summon Naturia Exterio once more!"

With a roar, Naturia Exterio bounded onto the field once again. (2,800 ATK)

_Now's the time, _she thought, looking at the last card in her hand.

"I play Nature's Fury!" she shouted.

Naturia Exterio roared in rage, and the sky above Naturia Forest darkened.

"Destroy Tempest Magician!" shouted Minerva. "Rage of the Primal Lord!"

Tempest Magician tried to run, but she wasn't nearly fast enough. The bellowing roar from the angry beast blew her into shards.

"ERGH!" said Domonous, clearly in pain. "It isn't over Minerva!"

"Afraid it is…" said Minerva. "Because Nature's Fury gives one Naturia Monster an effect just like that of Flame Wingman, at the cost of being destroyed at the end of the turn. So you take damage equal to your Monster's Attack Score.

"In other words, you lose…"

**(M: 400) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 0)**

Minerva stood facing the Incantifer for a few minutes. He didn't say anything.

"Well?" she finally said.

"I will do what I said I would," he said. "Now be gone from my sight."

In the next instant, Minerva was unceremoniously dumped back on the floor of the forest where she had been pulled into his chamber from. Her communication device was lying in front of her.

She picked it up.

"You there?" she said.

"Minerva?" said a voice. "Are you all right? We lost contact, and…"

"I'm fine…" she said. "Domonous said he'd do something… But I have no idea what…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In his chamber, Domonous brooded.

Losing had been humiliating. He had thought himself superior to any Knight of Domiel…

He thought himself superior to _everyone, _period, the Shadowchasers, and other Incantifers. He alone of all of them had been brave enough to take the Orb of Silvery Death. They had warned him not to… They had said that the first time a mortal had said "there are some things that man was not meant to tamper with", they were speaking of this item.

It may have rendered him invalid, but he had no regrets looking back. He was a thousand times more powerful than he was before, and knew secrets that the gods jealously coveted…

Yes, losing the duel was a humiliation…

Still, he would do as he had promised, because all Incantifers, even the most egotistical, always kept their word.

His eyes glowed, and so did the Orb…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her cluttered workshop, Xane was sitting on an old chair, her eyes closed in meditation.

Then they suddenly opened.

"Domonous?" she said.

She listened carefully to the message.

"No…" she said, getting up.

The message ended as quickly as it had come, but now Xane knew…

"After all these years…" she said. "He has come…

"He has the means…

"He can find what he needs…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At the prison complex in Shadowchaser Headquarters, specifically the wing for criminally insane inmates, Jalal was rushing down a hall as alarms were flashing.

"What happened?" he demanded, as he entered a cellblock.

"The Mean Emcee!" exclaimed a guard. "He vanished from his cell!"

He pointed to an empty cell.

"One minute he was there, the next…"

"Hold on..." said Jalal. "When did he become responsive?"

"We don't know..." said another guard. "Last we checked, he was still pretty out of it.

"There was no trouble at the checkpoints…"

"Could he have used Word of Recall?" asked Jalal.

"When he came here, we game him the blackout draught," replied the first guard. "It made him forget his spells. He couldn't have regained them."

Jalal went into the Mean Emcee's cell. He quickly spied something on the floor.

He picked it up, and then held it up.

"Yes he could have," he said. "He had help. Someone sent him the means to."

"That's a peach pit…" said the first guard.

"In the worship of Tharizdun, ominous-looking black peaches can give the faithful powerful abilities," said Jalal. "He clearly regained his spells and cast Word of Recall.

"Which means he's likely back in Chicago. We'd better warn them there."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK WALL OF WIND (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **A man in a white hood and cloak surrounded by a dark cyclone.

**Card Description: **Activate only during your opponent's turn when you control no Monsters. Reduce the damage you take from direct attacks to zero.

_Note: "Dark Wall of Wind" was first used by Marik in the original anime episode "The Darkness Returns (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LEVEL MIRRORING (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A split image, showing five golden stars on a sky blue background on top, and five indigo stars on a black background on the bottom.

**Card Description: **Select 1 face-up Monster you control and 1 face-up Monster your opponent controls. The Level of the Monster you control becomes the same as the Level of the Monster your opponent controls until the End Phase of the turn.

_Note: "Level Mirroring" was first used by Rua in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Mark of the Monkey (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**WITCH'S FAMILIAR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **When the activation of one of your Spell or Trap Cards is negated by your opponent's card effect, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. When this card is Special Summoned in this way, select 1 face-up Monster and reduce its ATK by 1,000.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HIDDEN TREASURES OF NATURE (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **Naturia Beast sitting on a hill, watching a beautiful sunrise.

**Card Description: **Remove from play any 3 of the following cards in your Graveyard: "Leodrake's Mane", "Barkion's Bark", "Landoise's Luminous Moss", and/or "Exterio's Fang" (the removed cards must each have a different name). Draw two cards from your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NATURE'S FURY (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **Naturia Strawberry, Naturia Cosmos Beet, Naturia Cliff, and Naturia Bamboo Shoot all running for cover in a forest as lightning flashes overhead in a stormy sky.

**Card Description: **Select 1 "Naturia" Monster you control. When the selected Monster destroys a Monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to the destroyed Monster's controller equal to the ATK of the destroyed Monster. At the End Phase of the turn, destroy the selected Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Nichole: As a wise man once said, everybody has a story. Ben finally remembers something about where he heard about the Mean Emcee, and it has helped me find the fugitive clown. I finally get some information as to why this strange duelist turned out the way he did. **_

_**Still, knowing isn't going to help me defeat him. He's stolen a powerful deck, and it seems I have my work cut out for me. And Ben isn't here to give me support this time. **_

"_**Interpretations; The Randomness of Life" is coming soon.**_


	34. Interpretations, The Randomness of Life

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Interpretations**

**The Randomness of Life**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

It was early evening in Chicago, in the downtown area known as the Loop.

The Museum of Popular Culture was a new addition to the Chicago downtown. Inside it contained exhibits that examined modern recreation and leisure, from newspapers, to television, to video games.

The Duel Monsters exhibit was popular, especially the section where the original model Duel Disk and the story behind it was housed. In Duelist Kingdom, Seto Kaiba guessed that Pegasus was somehow able to read minds, and gambled everything on a theory that he needed eye contact to do so. So Kaiba figured that making the holographic projections bigger and more realistic might be able to counter Pegasus' cheating. (And in a way, it might have been able to.) Kaiba thus developed the very first model of Duel Disk.

It was much different than the modern version. The duelist threw it like a yo-yo, and when it landed, it spun like a top. These Duel Disks also used special house rules for the game that Kaiba himself developed; for example, your hand always consisted of five cards; during your Draw Phase, you drew until you had that many. However, every card in each player's current hand was on the field at once, and all of them could be targeted for an attack (including the Spells and Traps), but only one Monster at a time was visible and able to attack. The others remained concealed, but were considered to be in Attack Mode…

Perhaps it was fortunate that this model was eventually dropped in favor of the more modern design that was introduced for Battle City.

Right now, the police were inside, talking to a very nervous curator.

"I don't know how it could have happened!" stammered the curator. "I turn my back for one minute to get a cup of coffee, and someone sneaks into the storeroom and makes off with an exhibit!"

"Calm down..." said one of the cops. "Just what was stolen?"

"Well…" said the curator, still nervous. "We were kind of supposed to keep it a secret... We were entrusted with a special deck of cards that was supposed to go on display next week...

"It was... Er, ahem... Pegasus' deck. Oh, I2 is going to have my scalp once they find out..."

"Pegasus?" asked the other cop. "The creator of Duel Monsters? I assume this deck had some rare cards in it..."

"Pegasus owned a Toon Deck..." said the curator, as he wiped sweat from his brow. "Not all of his cards were ever released to the public… Many of the cards in that deck were one-of-a-kind! It's worth millions..."

Meanwhile, outside, Ben and the three Chicago Shadowchasers were listening via wiretap. Sal had tapped into the museum's security cameras, and they watched the footage of the thief breaking in. Nichole and Ben recognized him at once; Karl and Dugan took a minute, but they caught on.

"Look at that, Nichole," said Karl. "Your old friend certainly got busy quickly."

"The Mean Emcee?" asked Nichole. "Well fine... I'm taking him down and he's staying down this time."

"Tread with caution, Nichole..." said Dugan, as Nichole walked to her D-Wheel. "Pegasus's Toon Deck was said to be incredibly deadly."

Nichole reached for her helmet.

"Uh, Nichole…" said Ben. "Where are you going to look?"

"I'm sure if I look long enough, he'll show himself," replied Nichole. "The guy is a tiefling who dresses as a comical stage magician… He's gonna be pretty hard to miss."

"Uhm, look…" said Ben. "Nichole... About the Mean Emcee... My memory is coming back a little, and I might know where I heard about him before.

"Does the name Marvelous the Amazing mean anything to you?"

Nichole looked at him funny.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, Nichole drove her D-Wheel up to the front gates of Magic Mountain, an amusement park on the edge of town. It was deserted; a sign that said "Closed for Renovations" hung on the locked gate.

Nonetheless, Nichole squeezed through the gate, and looked around. Marvelous the Amazing did mean something to Nichole. She remembered the name from when her brother took her to this place when she was eight, back in happier times, when she rode the merry-go-round and tilt-a-whirl, and ate cotton candy and caramel apples.

She walked in front of a stage, where a poster showed a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, with the words "Phanto the Phantastic" above.

Phanto the Phantastic was the most recent magician to perform on this stage... But he hadn't been the first.

"Come on out," she said. "I know you're in there…"

Then an old-fashioned player piano rolled out onto the stage…

It suddenly came to life, playing a loony song; "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down".

The curtain slowly started to rise, and the Mean Emcee leapt out, doing a somersault, landing on his feet and making a bow.

"Thank you, thank you!" he said.

The piano didn't stop. He looked at it. 

"I said thank you!" he said, a little annoyed.

The piano still continued to play.

He sighed. He lifted his hand, and formed a ball of fire in it. Then he hurled it, and the instrument was blown into a pile of charred wood.

"Feel better?" asked Nichole.

"A little," replied the Mean Emcee. "I gotta ask, Ms. Belvins… How'd you find me?"

"You'd be surprised how many escaped convicts try to go home," replied Nichole. "And I knew this was your home once… Lewis…"

"Don't call me that!" snapped the Mean Emcee.

"You were once Marvelus the Amazing," said Nichole, "a carnie who performed on that very stage.

"And you were one of the biggest attractions here. You were a comical magician, a clown who did magic tricks. You made children and adults alike happy, like clowns are supposed to do. You never failed to get a big applause when you pulled a string of handkerchiefs out of your ear, or even better, out of a volunteer's ear.

"What happened to you Lewis? What made you change from fun-loving carnival performer to disciple of the Chained God?"

"Simple..." said the Mean Emcee. "You know why priests commit to vows of poverty and celibacy? Why Jews fast during Yom Kippur? Why Muslims recite the salah while facing the Kaaba?

"I'll tell you why... They seek the answer to the question that followers of any religion seek – What is the meaning of life?"

"You did this to find the meaning of life?" asked Nichole.

"Nope," replied the Mean Emcee. "I did this because I found out what it was the hard way. I worked in the carnival for years, and loved doing it. And I made a good nest egg eventually. One year, I and about thirty other carnies put together enough money to go to New York City to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. The previous summer had been so profitable, we felt like celebrating.

"So we chartered a bus, and we were on our way, two days before Christmas. We were all in good spirits, singing Christmas songs and drinking cider. But halfway there, we were on the freeway driving past a trucker driving a big rig; the driver thought that the containers he was hauling contained chemical solvent that was used to make paint thinner.

"It wasn't. The driver had a contract for a company that was run by an illithid, and the containers were full of water taken from the River Styx."

Nichole gasped in horror.

"Someone could get life without parole for bringing that stuff to the mortal world!" she exclaimed. "It's lethal poison that can cause anyone who even inhales it to die in agony!"

"I know..." replied the Mean Emcee. "No-one might have known, if not for a drunk driver going the wrong way, causing the truck driver to swerve, causing his truck to burst into flames, with our bus caught in the middle. Several of the containers broke open, and the foul water spilled out onto the highway...

"It was a disaster... The drunk driver, the truck driver, and everyone on my bus except me were killed in that accident... If the crash didn't kill them, the fumes from that stuff did..."

"How did you survive?" asked Nichole.

"It can't kill demons," replied the Mean Emcee. "I'm a tiefling, and apparently they count as demons in regards to what poisons can kill them. In fact, I was drenched in the stuff, and it actually healed me. Even though I suffered broken bones from the crash, they knit within an hour. The wounds I got from the crash cauterized within minutes. The doctors at the hospital called it a miracle.

"But that wasn't all. For years, I had worn contact lenses because of nearsightedness. I no longer needed them. The Stygian water had corrected my vision. And the chronic rheumatism that had kept me out of the army years ago was gone too! Heck, even the corns on my feet were gone!

"That shower of water from the Styx had made me healthier than I had ever been, because of my fiendish blood...

"And then it dawned on me... Why was I so lucky? Why did I actually benefit from an accident that had sent over thirty people to horrible deaths, just two days before the most joyous holiday of the year? It didn't make sense!

"What I knew then was that the meaning of life is... There is none. Everything happens completely by chance, and things happen for no reason at all. Chaos is the only force that drives the world. "

_He didn't escape the Stygian water's baleful effects entirely... _thought Nichole. _The accident was clearly what drove him insane._

"Think about it, Nichole…" he continued. "Take the game of Duel Monsters, and how random that is… If your opponent had Jinzo on the field, Amazoness Spellcaster, Amazoness Fighting Spirit, and Amazoness Heirloom would all be good draws for you… So would Amazoness Queen if you had a sacrifice to summon her with. But any Trap Card would be a bad draw. Could you predict with any certainty what you'd draw in that situation?

"I found a group that shared my views... That Chaos was the only driving force in the world. I became able to wield true magic by channeling the power of the Chained God."

He lifted his arm, and his Duel Disk appeared on it.

"And the rest, as they say, is history. So… Time to show you the glories of Chaos. Time for a rematch. I've gotten a new deck, and I'm dying to try it out."

"You _stole _a new deck, you mean," said Nichole. "Fine, even if I have to face Pegasus' deck, I'll duel you…"

She activated her own Duel Disk.

_Let's just hope that as powerful as that deck is, _she thought, _his skill at using it isn't as good as its original owner._

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Mean Emcee: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move…" said the Mean Emcee.

He drew a card.

"I think I'll set a Monster…"

A concealed card appeared in front of him.

"And that will be all." 

Nichole made a draw.

She looked at her six cards. They consisted of Amazoness Swords Woman, Amazoness Fighter, Amazoness Fighting Spirit, Pot of Avarice, Dramatic Rescue, and The Warrior Returning Alive.

_Not bad, _she thought.

"Come on out, Amazoness Swords Woman!" she exclaimed.

With a cry on her lips, the Amazoness Warrior leapt onto the field, swinging her sword menacingly. (1,500 ATK)

"Attack his Monster!" she shouted. "Amazoness sword slash!"

Swords Woman made a rush at the card…

But then, a pair of hands caught her sword in mid swing. Nichole lifted an eyebrow when she saw the Monster. It looked like some relative of Bugs Bunny, with black fur and an old-fashioned jerkin. (1,500 DEF)

"Guess Dark Rabbit's Defense was a bit too tough," said the Mean Emcee, as Swords Woman backed off.

Dark Rabbit looked at Nichole and chuckled.

"O-kay…" said Nichole.

She took Dramatic Rescue and fit it into her Disk. It appeared facedown behind her Warrior.

"Think I'll end my turn there…"

"My move!" said the Mean Emcee, making a draw.

He laughed when he saw what the card was.

"Well…" he said. "Now things can get interesting… I just drew the card that can truly bring this duel to life!"

He threw the card into his Disk.

"I simply pay an admittance fee of 1,000 Life Points… And we enter a world where Chaos truly reigns! Arise… Toon World!"

There was an explosion of streamers, lights, and cartoon sound effects, and a portal opened in the ground. A large, green book floated out of the ground, and then spun around. It opened, revealing an inside like a children's pop-up book, and glowed with eerie energy.

"I think I'm in trouble…" said Nichole.

"More than you know," said the Mean Emcee. "It's time to bid farewell to my Dark Rabbit…"

Dark Rabbit leapt up, and dove into the book. It snapped closed, and then spun around again.

"I sacrifice him to summon someone better…"

Toon World opened again, and with a flourish, a new Monster leapt out. It looked like a little girl wearing a costume… A parody of the outfit worn by the King of Games' favorite female Spellcaster… (2,000 ATK)

She looked at Nichole with an evil smile.

"So, what do you think of Toon Dark Magician Girl?" asked the Mean Emcee.

"I'm trying hard to keep an open mind…" said Nichole, nervously.

"Oh?" said the Mean Emcee. "I think she _really _loves _you!_

"Attack Ms. Belvins directly!"

Toon Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter, and Nichole shrieked as a bolt of eldritch energy burned her. She fell on her behind.

Nichole looked up, holding her stomach. The Toon Spellcaster was laughing manically, but fortunately, Swords Woman didn't think it was very funny. She was looking at Nichole with a worried expression.

"I'll be fine," she muttered, as she got up.

_I hope… _she thought.

**(N: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 7,000)**

"I'm not done," said the Mean Emcee, as he took two cards from his hand. "First, I Equip Toon Dark Magician Girl with Demotion.

"It lowers her Level from 6 to 4."

"Why would you do that?" asked Nichole. "Pegasus never used Synchros…"

"You'll see why soon," replied the Mean Emcee. "Next, I'll set these cards…"

Two facedown cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

"…and because this Toon is a Class B Toon, she was considered a Special Summon, so I'll set a Monster."

A hidden Monster appeared next to Toon Dark Magician Girl.

"Class B?" asked Nichole. "I thought that Toons were… well, Toons."

"You have much to learn," said the Mean Emcee. "Chaotic doesn't mean simple, you know. I end my turn."

Nichole drew a card.

"Remember this card, pal?" she said.

She played a card, and Amazoness Fighting Spirit appeared in front of her.

"It gives my Amazons 1,000 more Attack Points when they attack a stronger Monster.

"And I'll summon Amazoness Fighter too."

She played another card, and the muscular Amazon appeared next to Swords Woman.

"And then, the Field Spell, Amazoness Village!"

She fit the card into her Field slot, and quickly, the jungle village surrounded by tropical trees sprang up around them. Both Amazons rose to 1,700 Attack Points.

Toon Dark Magician Girl apparently thought all this was the funniest thing she had ever seen. She couldn't stop giggling.

"Swords Woman, make that Toon shut up!" shouted Nichole. "Attack!"

Swords Woman leapt at the wily Spellcaster.

"Not so fast!" shouted the Mean Emcee. "I activate… Toon Defense!"

One of his facedown cards lifted up, revealing a Continuous Trap.

"Whenever you attack a Toon that's Level 4 or less, I get to turn the attack into a direct attack on me. So thanks to Demotion, my Toon is safe."

Then he grunted as Swords Woman hit him hard with the sword.

Nichole raised an eyebrow.

"Fine…" she said. "Fighter, why don't _you _attack that Toon?"

Fighter bull-rushed Toon Dark Magician Girl…

"Again, I activate the effect of Toon Defense!" shouted the Mean Emcee.

Then he was knocked down as Fighter rammed into him.

**(N: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 3,600)**

"That's a weird way to protect a Monster, pal," said Nichole. "I end my turn…"

"And I activate this!" laughed the Mean Emcee, as his second facedown card lifted up.

"Shock Draw?" said Nichole. "Yeah, I should have known…"

He made three draws.

"Lewis, listen to me!" shouted Nichole. "Things don't have to go down like this!"

"Pardon?" asked the Mean Emcee.

"You're only a thief now…" said Nichole. "But sooner or later, if you stay with the cult of Tharizdun, you're going to kill someone… You can stop before it comes to that…

"You can get help… You can get therapy, and someday maybe you can be the man you used to be."

The Mean Emcee paused. For a brief minute, Nichole thought she saw lucidity on his face.

"I doubt it," he said. "I doubt I could ever go back… Heck, I even tried once…"

"Really?" asked Nichole.

The Mean Emcee nodded.

"Just last year, I pulled my old equipment out of mothballs," he continued, "and performed in front of an audience.

"It seemed like I hadn't lost my touch… I still got cheers from them when I juggled while riding a unicycle backwards… I still made the children laugh, and still made them happy…

"Thing was, I failed to make one important person happy… Myself. Seeing their smiling faces didn't satisfy me the way it did before. It just made me more depressed than ever.

"I was a classic case of a clown who was only smiling on the outside…

"After the performance, I threw my old equipment into Lake Michigan… Where it sank like a stone. I put Marvelus the Amazing behind me forever, and became the Mean Emcee in every sense of the word."

He drew the top card off of his deck.

"But that's water under the bridge!" he laughed, resuming his maniacal tone. "Toon Dark Magician Girl, attack directly again!"

Nichole screamed as the Toon's bolt hit her a second time. It had taken her by complete surprise… For a minute there, it looked like she might have gotten through to him.

**(N: 4,000) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 3,600)**

"Heh, heh…" said the Mean Emcee.

He fit a card into his Disk, and a new facedown card appeared.

"Your move…"

"Have it your way…" said Nichole, as she drew a card. "You keep using that Toon Defense, you're going to run out of Life Points long before I do, you know that?

"Fighter, attack Toon Dark Magician Girl!"

"I think I _will _use the effect of Toon Defense," said the Mean Emcee. "_But… _I'll activate this card too…"

His facedown card lifted up.

"Spirit Barrier?" shouted Nichole.

Fighter aimed a punch at the Mean Emcee, but he caught her fist with his hand.

"Now I can't take any damage so long as I have at least one Monster on the field," he said.

"What do you think? It's the perfect combo! With Toon Defense, my Toons are untouchable, and with Spirit Barrier, _I'm _untouchable.

"That Pegasus… He was a genius!"

Nichole paused.

"Swords Woman, attack his set Monster!" she shouted.

Swords Woman lunged at the card. Dark Mimic LV1 appeared on it, and was cut in half.

"Thank you," said the Mean Emcee, as he made a draw.

Nichole took one of her cards, and set it on her Disk. A facedown card materialized.

"Your move…" she said.

The Mean Emcee laughed again as he made a draw.

"Toon Dark Magician Girl…" he said.

"Not this time!" shouted Nichole. "Go, Threatening Roar!"

Her facedown card lifted up.

"Humph," said the Mean Emcee.

He played a Spell Card.

"In that case, I play Magic Planter."

A swarm of vines sprung up from the ground, constricting the Toon Defense card and crushing it.

"I'll send one Continuous Trap to the Graveyard, and draw two cards."

He made two draws.

"Are you nuts?" asked Nichole. "Your Toon will be wide open!"

"Remember what I said?" asked the Mean Emcee. "Chaos rules. Anything can happen.

"I play Mystical Space Typhoon!"

He played the Spell Card, and the cyclone blew across the field, blowing Amazoness Fighting Spirit to pieces.

"And I may not be able to attack this round," he said. "But I can still play the Spell Card, Shadow Toon."

As he played the card, there was a cackling, haunting laughter, and a silly-looking black spook emerged from Toon World.

"Shadow Toon deals damage to you equal to one of your Monster's Attack Points," said the Mean Emcee.

Nichole braced herself as the goofy ghost flew at her, and then _though _her, chilling her insides. She panted for breath.

"Next, I summon Ipiria," continued the Mean Emcee.

He played a card, and a small, white lizard with a fur frill appeared. (500 ATK)

"By Normal Summoning this little guy, I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

"And I couldn't have asked for better… I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Two comical hands reached down from Toon World, and grabbed both Toon Dark Magician Girl and Ipiria. They were pulled into the book, and it slammed shut…

Magical lightning flashed from Toon World, as it spun at incredible speed… Then it opened a crack, and a big, blue eye peered out…

"No…" said Nichole. "It can't be…"

Then the book opened, and the whole creature leapt out. It was a grotesque satire of Kaiba's legendary Dragon, reduced to a cartoon mockery. (3,000 ATK)

"The Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon!" laughed the Mean Emcee.

"You've outdone yourself!" said Nichole. "Now, not only is Pegasus rolling over in his grave, but so is Kaiba!"

"Whatever…" said the Mean Emcee. "To end my turn, I'll set one more card…"

He fit a card into his Disk, and a reversed card appeared.

**(N: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 3,600)**

Nichole looked at the huge Toon who was looking back at her with a _very _unpleasant expression.

_If that thing is anything like Toon Dark Magician Girl, _she thought, _it can end this duel next turn with one mighty blast… This next draw had better be good…_

She made a draw.

She immediately set it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Your move…" she said.

The Mean Emcee chuckled as he made a draw.

"That was all you could do, huh?" he said. "Very well…

"I pay 500 Life Points so that my Dragon can attack! Attack directly! White Lightning!"

Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon took a deep breath…

"I activate… Security Orb!" shouted Nichole.

Her facedown card lifted up, and a small robotic drone appeared on the field. It shot a wave of energy at the Toon.

"Because your Monster tried to attack, this moves it to Defense Mode before it can do so."

The Toon Dragon crossed its arms in Defense. (2,500 DEF)

"Nice save…" said the Mean Emcee. "But I still have this…"

His facedown card lifted up.

"The Transmigration Prophecy. Now I can take two cards from my Graveyard, and return them to my deck."

He took Toon Dark Magician Girl and Ipiria, and fit them back in his deck. Then he reshuffled.

"Next, I play Toon Table of Contents," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "I get to take any card from my deck with the word 'Toon' in its name."

He took a card from his deck, and looked at it.

Then he played another Spell Card.

"Now for a little number called Toon Rollback. By playing this card during my second Main Phase, my turn is rewound back to my first Main Phase."

"Don't tell me you get a second Battle Phase!" shouted Nichole.

"Oh, but I do," replied the Mean Emcee. "There is a catch, however. During this second Battle Phase, I'm only allowed to attack with Monsters that didn't attack during the first one. That leaves this big guy out…

"So I'll sacrifice him to bring back your old friend."

Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon vanished, and Toon Dark Magician Girl reappeared with the same diabolical giggle. (2,000 ATK)

"So… Now she can attack you directly again!"

Nichole screamed again as Toon Dark Magician Girl's blast hit her in the stomach for the third time.

**(N: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 3,100)**

"Next, I play the Continuous Spell Card, Messenger of Diversity," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "This card costs me 1,000 Life Points for each round I intend to keep it…

"But I only need it for one round! So long as it's on the field, neither player is allowed to attack unless she has at least two Monsters with different Attributes.

"And I end my turn…"

_Dirty pool, _thought Nichole. _He clearly added that to the deck with me in mind…_

_I only have one Monster in this whole deck that isn't Earth…_

She closed her eyes. She made a draw.

She opened them.

"Heh…" she said. "Know what I love about this game Lewis? As Yukai Judai was so fond of saying… One draw changes everything!"

She quickly played the card.

"I summon Command Knight!"

In an aura of fire, the same armored, beret-wearing female knight that Penelope used appeared next to the two Amazons. (1,200 ATK)

"That's no Amazon!" screamed the Mean Emcee.

"No…" replied Nichole. "But any woman that proves herself as a fellow Warrior is welcome in their ranks. Especially since Command Knight grants 400 more Attack Points to all of my Warriors."

The two Amazons were boosted to Attack Scores of 2,100, while Command Knight herself rose to 1,600.

"And since she's a Fire Monster," continued Nichole, "your Messenger of Diversity can't hold them back!

"Ladies…"

For the first time, Toon Dark Magician Girl looked nervous…

Amazoness Fighter leapt at the living cartoon, causing her to run the other way, screaming. But Fighter was too fast; she made a tackle, and the Toon burst into an explosion of stars and rainbow-colored swirls.

"You're next!" shouted Nichole, pointing at the Mean Emcee.

"Wait a minute…" said the now-frightened magician.

Then he screamed as Amazoness Swords Woman hit him hard with her sword, slashing left-to-right. He barely got a chance to recover when Command Knight followed, slashing right-to-left.

He fell over.

**(N: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (ME: 0)**

"As one famous toon would say," said Nichole, as Toon World vanished into a cloud of sparkling motes, "Th-th-th-that's all folks!" 

"Well what do you know?" said the Mean Emcee with a scowl. "The tight-cheeked disciple of St. Cuthbert actually made a joke!"

"Don't get too used to it," said Nichole. "It's over Lewis. Now hand over that stolen deck. You're coming with me."

The Mean Emcee slowly stood up. He looked at the deck.

"You know, Ms. Belvins…" he said. "This is more than a deck… More than a deck of priceless cards, even…

"It's a legacy… A legacy of the creator of Duel Monsters… The man who started it all."

"I agree," said Nichole. "And it's going back where it belongs."

Then he took off the Duel Disk, and slid it down the stage, to stage right.

"What are you…" started Nichole.

Then the Mean Emcee formed a ball of flames in his hand again, and hurled it, setting the curtain in the back of stage right on fire.

"What are you doing?" screamed Nichole.

"You have a choice, Ms. Belvins!" said the Mean Emcee. "This stage was never up to code… If you chase after me, that legacy is going to go up in smoke."

And then he bolted in the opposite direction.

Nichole hesitated for a minute, but she knew that he was right. She leapt onto the stage and snatched the Duel Disk holding the precious cards away from the spreading fire.

She looked around as she leapt back off the stage, where the fire was spreading quickly. The Mean Emcee had vanished, likely from some trick of magic.

Nichole sighed… She hadn't apprehended him…

…but at least the stolen property had been recovered… She could take comfort in knowing that…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Tiberius and Hape were walking down a dark hallway.

"It's about time to see how Lorelei's training session with Lareth is progressing today. One can only hope he won't take long before adjusting to his new de-"

That was as far as Tiberius got before an ear-splitting roar shook the hall followed immediately by an explosion that tore open a hole in the wall separating them from one of the dueling arenas.

The two men stared in silence at the pile of gore-stained rubble at their feet as fire alarms screeched to life and sprinklers in the ceiling activated in the smoking, ruined chamber. A hulking, shadowy Monster was briefly visible through the smoke before vanishing.

Hape finally spoke while looking at a wrist watch.

"It would seem Lareth's already cut his earlier record in half for how long it took him to finish his duel," he said, "a good sign."

"Especially when you consider there are enough body parts here to suggest he was dueling multiple opponent's at once besides Lorelei," replied Tiberius. "Though I can't say for sure just how many there were…."

He nudged a few chunks of steel and concrete away with his boot before he spied a familiar face.

"Ah there you are, mind pulling yourself together and giving us a report?"

Giving Tiberius a death glare, Lorelei slowly pulled her battered mangled body out of the rubble snapping several bones back into place as her body began to regenerate.

"And to think," she grunted as she wrenched her neck back into place. "Liches make this look so easy."

"That's because they're usually intelligent enough not to preserve their ability to feel pain," replied Tiberius.

Turning around the three of them watched Lareth appear from the ruined arena, blood and gore flecking his armor as he was prying a Duel Disk from a charred human arm. Finally managing to do so, he tore open the device and reached in, pulling out the Extra Deck. 

"Worthless, worthless…" he muttered. "Mmm… Might have potential here…"

Tiberius arched an eyebrow at this.

"Trophy-gathering Lareth?" asked Tiberius. "Between the mask and the coughing habit you'd think you were cosplaying General Grievous."

Lareth simply stared at him blankly before Tiberius sighed.

"Oh never mind," he said. "I suppose the Champion of Elemental Evil wouldn't be much for pop culture anyway."

Lareth simply gave a snort as he looked over the card he approved of, and then added it to his own deck.

"It's not so much trophy gathering as it is bolstering my forces," he said. "This new deck is... sufficient, but if I wish to become powerful enough to combat threats that will likely follow after our plans start, I need more of these Synchro monsters."

"Threats?" asked Tiberius.

"He's been reviewing major events following his imprisonment, including the conflict between the Three Emperors of Yliaster and the Signers in Neo Domino," said Lorelei.

"Yes…" said Lareth. "More than likely, one of those two groups is going to eradicate the other, and the one that remains will be a potential problem.

"I know firsthand now that the Shadowchasers are not the only threat to be wary of… This time… I'm going to be prepared…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**IPIRIA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 500

**Card Description: **When this card is Normal Summoned, draw 1 card.

_Note: "Ipiria" was first used by Oshita in the original anime episode "Isolated in Cyberspace (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TOON ROLLBACK (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **An old-fashioned movie spool spilling out a colorful reel of film.

**Card Description: **Activate during your Main Phase 2 when you control a face-up "Toon World". The Phase of your turn becomes Main Phase 1. Monsters that attacked this turn before this card was played may not attack a second time.

_Note: "Toon Rollback" was first used by Amelda (using Pegasus's deck) in the original anime episode "Deja Duel (Part 1)"._ _Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHADOW TOON (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A goofy black ghost flying out of Toon World.

**Card Description: **Activate only when you control a face-up "Toon World". Select 1 face-up Monster your opponent controls and inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the selected Monster.

_Note: "Shadow Toon" was first used by Pegasus in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Duel for Hire". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MESSENGER OF DIVERSITY (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Similar to "Messenger of Peace", with the priest wearing multi-colored robes.

**Card Effect: **During each of your Standby Phases, either pay 1,000 Life Points or destroy this card. Neither player can declare an attack unless he or she controls at least 2 face-up Monsters with different Attributes.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Karl: As Dugan goes to General Curtis for information on the mysterious "Green Cheese", I do some research of my own on some of the information that Edgar and Penelope found. A recycling center in Riverdale is run by a Shadow who cajoles me with the possibility that he might know something, but he wants a duel first… One that he promises I'll never forget. **_

_**I don't trust this guy… But then, no-one trusts this species of Shadowkind. I have a feeling that Nichole and Dugan both might be better at this sort of thing than I am… But I'm no coward…**_

"_**Duel of Pain; The Dark Card" is coming soon. **_


	35. Deck of Pain, The Dark Card

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Duel of Pain**

**The Dark Card**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

In the meantime, Karl had been busy. He had decided to check out the businesses around town that Edgar and Penelope had found references to when searching Scath and Nasquet's files.

The first two were a bulk food store that specialized in selling to restaurants and an office supplies store that also sold in bulk. They both looked legit, and when Karl talked to the managers, they said that they could not disclose information about their contracted clients. Karl supposed that made sense, and he didn't push it.

The third place seemed more suspicious. The directions took him into Riverdale, to a recycling plant near the big water reclamation plant. It wasn't the best well-managed place from the looks of it – piles of scrap metal were everywhere, and a stink filled the air. Clearly, the place wasn't up to code.

"Hello?" he called out, as he walked through the place. "Hello?"

_Man, I can see about ten workplace safety violations already, _he thought, looking around. _It looks worse than Watto's junk shop. _

He peered around again.

"_Karl," _said Sal, _"there's some odd magic here… It seems like both dark magic and fey magic at the same time."_

"You think some uncouth fey is working here?" asked Karl.

"Yeah, yeah," said a voice, as a small man walked out from behind a pile of junk. "What do you want?"

It looked like a gnome at first glance, but gnomes tended to be cleaner. This one, who stood just over four-foot-six, had a dirty face and clothes, dirty, unkempt hair, and a long mustache under a huge nose. He had strange tattoos on each of his arms.

Karl frowned. A spriggan.

"Yeah, what is it?" said the small Shadowkind.

"Shadowchaser," said Karl. "And you are?"

The spriggan smiled a smile that made Karl's blood run cold.

"Larry Silver," he said. "My friends call me Handsome Larry… And yeah, I know they're being sarcastic. So what can I do for you, Shadowchaser?"

He smiled again, showing teeth that had clearly not been brushed in years.

"I'm looking for information..." said Karl. "Information on folks you work for... You wouldn't know anything about suspicious individuals who come here offering to sell metal, would you?"

"Maybe..." said Larry. "What's it worth to you?"

"I'm not going to bribe you, pal," said Karl. "There's an evil cult out there, and I want answers, now."

"I couldn't possibly care less," said Larry.

He rubbed the tattoo on his left arm, and it glowed with red light. He grew a head taller, and his muscles started to bulge.

Karl frowned. Spriggans had once been a race of gnomes that had been enslaved by the fomorians, a race of incredibly selfish beings native to the Feywild. Under the fomorians' yoke, the race was corrupted by evil magic, and became a dismal reflection of what they once were. The spriggans won their freedom, and had gained runic magic, enchanted tattoos that they stole from the fomorians which gave them a variety of abilities.

Spriggans had become rather selfish themselves after their liberation. They saw the world as a cruel place, and thought everyone was out to get them. A spriggan rarely cared about anyone but himself, not even caring about other spriggans.

Larry lunged at Karl, but while the rune had made him very strong, it had also made him rather clumsy. Karl dodged aside, and the spriggan plowed headlong into a pile of scrap metal.

Larry sat up, rubbing his noggin.

"All right, fine..." he said. "You want answers? I _might _have a few answers... But you're gonna have to beat me to get them..."

"You mean in a duel?" asked Karl.

"Not just any duel…" replied Larry. "A _fun _duel. A duel that you're sure to love… Follow me…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, in Hyde Park, Dugan was sitting on a park bench, where another park bench was to his back. He was reading a newspaper.

A very overweight man who looked to be about sixty-something years old walked up and sat down on the park bench behind him, and started reading a newspaper of his own.

Just by looking at the incredibly overweight man, you'd never have known that, just five years ago, he was one of the U.S. Air Force's most decorated officers. General Miles Curtis had made a career out of being tough; he deserved respect and he got it, even from those who didn't like him or disagreed with him.

But when he retired, his biggest challenge was quitting smoking. He resolved to defeat this enemy just as he had many others, and he did, but he had gained a great deal of weight in the process that he was never able to lose.

"I really shouldn't be here, Dugan," he said, without looking up from his newspaper. "And I wouldn't be if it wasn't you."

"You already told me, General Curtis," replied Dugan. "The thing is, you said you owed me a favor, and I'm taking you up on it.

"I was wondering what you knew about someone or something named Green Cheese."

Curtis paused and looked around nervously.

"I shouldn't tell you..." he said. "But seeing as I hate the guy with a passion, I'll tell you a few things... Off the record, of course.

"Green Cheese was a nickname given to a chaplain who worked at Groom Lake Air Force Base, about ten years ago..."

"Groom Lake?" said Dugan, almost in shock. "You mean Area 51?"

Curtis nodded.

"So you're acknowledging to me here and now that the place exists?" asked Dugan.

"Please," said Curtis, with a sigh. "It's the worst-kept secret in the military. I've been there... But don't get any ideas about asking me what they do there... There's a reason why it's a top-secret military facility.

"Now, where was I?"

"Green Cheese," replied Dugan.

"Right," said Dugan. "The nickname came from his fondness for Roquefort cheese."

"Roquefort?" asked Dugan. "Doesn't exactly sound like the cheese offered in an Air Force mess hall… Or even a PX."

"Dugan, we're talking about a top-secret military facility in the middle of the Nevada desert," said Curtis. "Soldiers stationed there can't have the privileges that most soldiers get. They can't get passes to go into town, or order take-out food, or stuff like that.

"But they can put money from their salaries into a special account. They can then have the supply master order them stuff with that money. Stuff like magazines, snack foods, and the like. This guy used it for Town House Crackers and Roquefort cheese. Eventually, folks started calling him Green Cheese. Roquefort is technically a sheep milk blue cheese, but 'Green Cheese' sounded catchier."

"I see…" said Dugan.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the recycling plant, Larry brought Karl to an arena-like clearing.

"You cleared out this space just for dueling?"

"I got a very rare card the other day," said Larry. "I've dueled a few people with it, but they were such wimps, they fainted before I got much use out of it. I'd just love to test it out on one of the mighty Shadowchasers."

"_Karl," _said Sal. _"I have a bad feeling about this…"_

"And just why would I agree to this?" asked Karl.

"Cause you got nothin' on me, Shadowchaser," said Larry, "not unless you're also the building inspector, and you know it. If you want me to talk, you'll do it. Unless you're scared…"

Karl gave him a death glare.

"I'm not scared of you…" he said.

He activated his Duel Disk.

"Bring it on!"

Larry activated his own Disk.

"That's more like it!" laughed the spriggan.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Larry: 8,000)**

"I'll go first," chuckled the spriggan, making his first draw.

"And I summon Dream Clown!"

With a cackling laughter, a clown wearing a blue cape, an orange shirt, red pants, a foolscap, and sleeves covered with stars, and purple hair covering his eyes materialized. (1,200 ATK)

"Dream Clown?" asked Karl. "Kinda expected something scarier…"

"Oh, the scary comes later," said Larry, as he fit another card in his Disk.

A facedown card appeared behind him.

"This is just an appetizer. It's your move."

"Your funeral," said Karl, as he made a draw. "I summon Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier!"

In an aura of sparkling ice crystals, Dance Princess spun onto the field gracefully. (1,700 ATK)

"Next, I use her effect," said Karl.

He flipped a card in his hand around, Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier.

"I know exactly what that Clown can do, and I know that your Trap Card is something to protect it. So by revealing this Ice Barrier Monster, Dance Princess can send it back to your hand."

"Then I'm chaining it!" laughed Larry, as the Trap Card lifted up. "I activate No Entry!

"It moves both our Monsters to Defense Mode…"

Dream Clown knelt, and crossed its arms over its chest. (900 DEF) Dance Princess knelt as well, shielding herself with her disks. (900 DEF)

"…and seeing as you seem to know all about Dream Clown's effect, I guess I don't have to tell you what happens when it moves from Attack Mode to Defense Mode…"

Dance Princess shattered into icy shards.

_Good grief! _thought Karl. _That was smarter than I thought…_

"Uh…" he said, looking at the rest of his cards.

Nothing but Monsters… He didn't even have anything he could bluff with.

"Oh, make your move…" he said.

"Oh, I will," said Larry, as he drew a card. "Dream Clown, move back to Attack Mode!"

Dream Clown stood up. (1,200 ATK)

"Now attack the Shadowchaser directly! Kidney punch!"

Dream Clown laughed hysterically, and slammed its fist into Karl's gut, knocking him to the ground.

"I think that's enough for now…" he said.

**(K: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 8,000)**

Karl made a draw.

"Keep smiling like that," he said, looking at Dream Clown.

He threw a card on his Disk.

"Come on out, Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier!"

In another aura of snow and ice, the veiled Spellcaster holding a staff appeared in front of him. (1,500 ATK)

"Put that Clown on ice!" he shouted. "Freezing sleet!"

Shock Troop pointed his staff, and cast an icy spell, freezing the jerky jester solid. Then the goofy Warrior shattered into pixels.

"That will do for now…" he said.

**(K: 6,800) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,700)**

Larry made a draw. He looked at the card.

"I set a facedown," he said, as a set card appeared in his Spell Zone, "and then summon Blade Rabbit."

The Monster that appeared was a rabbit, but not an ordinary one. It had very long incisors that looked like daggers and a patch over its right eye. (400 ATK)

"Your move…" said Larry.

_I'm beginning to see the picture here… _thought Karl. _He's using Monsters whose effects activate when they switch Battle Positions…_

_Well, Blade Rabbit's effect can't destroy _two _Monsters. _

He drew a card.

"I summon Dewdark of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

In a flash of energy, Dewdark appeared, brandishing a pair of daggers. (1,200 ATK)

"How's this for blades?" he asked. "Dewdark, attack Blade Rabbit!"

Dewdark flew at the small Beast…

"I activate… Zero Gravity!" shouted Larry, as his facedown card lifted up. "Now, all Monsters on the field switch Modes."

Dewdark fell into Defense Mode (800 DEF) and so did Shock Troop. (800 DEF) Blade Rabbit also curled up in a defensive position. (300 DEF)

"And just like Dream Clown…"

Shock Troop shattered into pixels.

Karl growled a little.

"Fine…" he said. "I end my turn…"

Larry made a draw.

"Not bad…" he said. "I move Blade Rabbit to Attack Mode…"

Blade Rabbit assumed a crouching position. (400 ATK)

"…and then summon… Hayabusa Knight!"

The card appeared in front of him, and then a Warrior leapt out of the card. It was a classic of Duel Monsters, an armored Warrior with a hawk's head holding a rapier. (1,000 ATK)

"I've never understood this guy, to tell the truth…" said Larry. "He has a bird's head… And yet he's an Earth Monster?

"Ah, well… Attack Dewdark! Peregrine saber slash!"

With the grace of a master swashbuckler, Hayabusa Knight ran Dewdark through with his rapier. The shadowy assassin shattered.

"And I don't think I need to tell you that Hayabusa Knight gets a second attack," said Larry.

Karl winced as the swordsman slashed across his chest with his weapon.

Then Blade Rabbit leapt up, and bit him on the arm. Karl grunted.

**(K: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,700)**

"I'll set one more card facedown," said Larry, as a set card appeared behind his two Monsters, and end my turn."

Karl made a draw.

He looked at it. It was Samurai of the Ice Barrier.

_I drew one of my best Level 4 Monsters, _he thought. _But… If that facedown card is another Trap that will switch Blade Rabbit's Position, I'll be in big trouble…_

He paused.

_Like I have a choice…_

"I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

There was a loud cry, and Samurai leapt onto the field, brandishing his ice-cold katana. (1,800 ATK)

"Destroy Blade Rabbit!" he shouted. "Shivering slash!"

Karl held his breath as the Samurai rushed towards the Beast…

But Larry made no reaction. The Trap didn't activate. With one swipe of his katana, Samurai cut Blade Rabbit in two.

"You were bluffing!" said Karl.

"Indeed…" muttered Larry.

"Heh…" said Karl. "I'm still waiting for this big surprise, Larry… So far, you haven't played a single card that I couldn't find in the discount bin of a hobby shop.

"When exactly is this new card of yours gonna show up?"

**(K: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,300)**

Larry made a draw.

"_Karl!" _said Sal. _"When he drew that card just now… I sensed power… Dark power… Something bad is coming..."_

"Here's my surprise, Shadowchaser…" said Larry. "I summon… Hook the Hidden Knight!"

He played the card, and an ominous shadow rose on his side of the field. The Monster that appeared was a dark, humanoid figure dressed in leather armor studded with spikes, with sharp hooks in place of both hands. Oddly enough, its shoes were also shaped like hooks. (1,600 ATK)

"Okay…" said Karl, nervously. "This is certainly new…"

"Hayabusa Knight moves to Defense Mode," said Larry.

The Warrior sheathed his sword, and knelt. (700 DEF)

"…and I end my turn…"

_All right… _thought Karl, making a draw. _That weird Monster may one-up Captain Hook, but I don't see why Samurai can't handle it._

"I summon Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

He played a card, and the mountain-dwelling ascetic dressed in furs appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"First, my Pilgrim puts the hurt on Hayabusa Knight. Go! Shattering strike!"

Pilgrim leapt at Hayabusa Knight, and blew him to pieces with a mighty karate chop.

"Next, Samurai will take care of your creepier Knight!"

Samurai made a rush for Hook the Hidden Knight…

"I activate Hook the Hidden Knight's effect!" shouted Larry. "When it's attacked while in Attack Mode, both it and the attacking Monster move to Defense Mode."

Hook knelt, and crossed its arms over its chest. (0 DEF) Samurai sheathed his sword, and knelt. (1,500 DEF)

"My Samurai's effect automatically activates…" said Karl, with a growl. "When he switches to Defense Mode, he's destroyed…"

Samurai shattered.

"But… I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

"And when Hook the Hidden Knight moves from offense to defense," said Larry, "you take 800 points of damage."

"Big deal," said Karl. "I can…"

Then he screamed. He screamed in pain.

He fell to his knees.

**(K: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,300)**

He hadn't seen it coming. It was like someone had taken a sharp spike and slashed it across his back.

"The Duel Disk didn't do that…" he gasped. "That… that was real!

"That Monster… It's a Dark Card, isn't it?"

"Uh huh," said Larry.

Karl panted for breath. He reached behind his back, and he felt that he was bleeding.

"Where…" he said. "How did you get it?"

Larry chuckled.

"Have you been keeping track of the WRGP tournament in Neo Domino City?" asked Larry.

"No," replied Karl. "Why?"

"Well, a Team that was just eliminated is called Team Catastrophe…" explained Larry. "They lived in Satellite at first, where they were a trio of third-rate crooks. When Satellite was connected to Neo Domino by the Daedalus Bridge, they were _still _a trio of third-rate crooks.

"Then someone gave them this card, saying it would make them the Kings of the Riding Duels. It was too good an offer for them to pass up. They even defeated the Team that was favored to win the tournament…

"…by making two of their duelists crash! But when one the Signers dueled them, they were found out. Everyone knew that they had made those poor saps crash on purpose. Not only did they lose the duel with the Signers, they lost their brief claim to fame. They went from top of the heap back to down in the dumps, and were worse off than they were before.

"My employer offered to buy this card from them… And they were quite eager to cut their losses. Neat card, huh?"

Karl stood up.

"Yeah, really neat," he said, sarcastically.

He looked at the card he had drawn with Samurai's effect. He set it in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"That's all for me."

_That Trap Card will help immensely, _he thought. _Let's hope I can live long enough to use it…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Back at Hyde Park…

"At first he was like any other chaplain," continued General Curtis. "He gave services, offered spiritual guidance, listened to the troops' troubles when they needed someone to talk to. He was kind and unbiased, like a chaplain should be.

"But then... He changed...

"His sermons started to become more... intense. They started to sound like the rants of some crazy fundamentalist telling people to repent.

"Then he started saying things about how the 'great beast' would someday be freed, and how it would bring 'the end of all things'.

"He was evaluated by a psychiatrist and judged unfit for duty. He was given a medical discharge due to psychiatric reasons."

"Under AR 635-200, I assume?" asked Dugan. "So why do you hate him?"

"Because the last I heard," replied Curtis, "he was at a new job, making more money than some of the Generals at the Pentagon!"

Dugan realized that _would _make a General angry. They hated it when someone who was a failure in the military became a success after being thrown out.

"General, really…" said Dugan.

"Dugan, the idiots in the Senate are threatening to block a bill right now that would increase the retirement pension for members of the Armed Forces…" said Curtis. "And this nutcase who was never even eligible for them is rich enough to retire to the French Riviera whenever he wants to.

"Only in America…

"I've said too much already. I've got to go."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"It's my move, Shadowchaser!" laughed Larry, as he drew a card.

"I move Hook the Hidden Knight to Attack Mode…"

Hook the Hidden Knight stood up. (1,600 ATK)

"…and then I summon Dark the Hidden Knight!"

A new fiendish knight appeared. This one had fancier armor, and long, spindly arms. (800 ATK)

"It may not be very strong, but it has the ability to attack you directly! Attack! Shadow rush!"

Dark the Hidden Knight blasted a wide bolt of pure darkness, enveloping Karl. Karl clutched his chest, his heart beating fast.

"Then Hook sticks it to Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier," continued Larry. "Attack! Evil Hook!"

Hook the hidden Knight hurled its right hook, which had a chain attached to the end. Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier shattered.

Karl briefly saw it… A shadowy shape creeping up behind him…

He tried to dodge, but once again, the shadowy assailant slashed at his back with its weapon. He screamed again.

**(K: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,300)**

"I set another card facedown, and end my turn," said Larry, as a facedown card appeared next to his other one.

Karl's hand shook. He slowly drew a card.

He looked at it.

_Hey… _he thought.

"I play Moray of Greed!" he exclaimed, as he played the Spell Card.

"I'll send these two Water Monsters back to my deck…"

He took Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier and Defender of the Ice Barrier from his hand and returned them to his deck. The Disk reshuffled the deck.

"…and then draw three times."

He made three draws.

_Better, _he thought, looking at them.

He peered over his shoulder. Then he chose a card in his hand.

"I remove Dewdark from play…" he said.

He pocketed the Monster Card.

"…in order to summon Aqua Spirit."

The young, watery sylph appeared in front of him. (1,600 ATK)

"But then I'm going to sacrifice her…"

Aqua Spirit turned into a large, watery orb.

"I summon General Raiho of the Ice Barrier!"

The orb froze solid, and then shattered, revealing the General dressed in a blue toga and hat. (2,100 ATK)

He gestured, and a broadsword made of solid ice appeared in his hand.

"He's all yours, General," said Karl. "Attack Hook the Hidden Knight with Kōri Blade!"

The General charged the evil Fiend…

"Forget?" asked Larry. "When Hook is attacked while in Attack Mode, both Monsters move to Defense Mode."

"And my General's effect negates the activation of your Monsters' effects," said Karl.

"WHAT?" shouted Larry, as Raiho's eyes glowed with icy light.

"But you can suppress his negation effect by discarding a card from your hand," added Karl.

"Fine, fine!" shouted Larry.

He discarded a card. Hook crouched in Defense Mode. (0 DEF) General Raiho did the same. (2,300)

"And you lose 800 Life Points again!" laughed Larry.

This time, Karl was not taken by surprise. He clearly saw the shadowy demon coming, and dodged aside before its hook could strike him.

"I'm onto you, sneak," said Karl, with a scowl.

His facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he shouted. "Return!"

Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier leapt back onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"Now SHE can attack your Hook!"

"Not so fast!" shouted Larry. "I activate Dark the Hidden Knight's effect! By sacrificing him, I get to move Hook back to Attack Mode!"

"Oh Larry?" said Karl. "My General is going to try to negate that effect too…"

Larry growled. He discarded another card. Dark the Hidden Knight vanished, and Hook the Hidden Knight sprang up into Attack Mode. (1,600 ATK)

"Dance Princess, keep going!" shouted Karl.

"I activate Hook's effect!" shouted Larry.

Then he stopped short…

He realized he had no cards left in his hand… He couldn't stop Raiho this time…

Dance Princess slammed her foot into Hook the Hidden Knight's gut and the wicked Fiend shattered. The evil shadow behind Karl moaned, and then shattered as well.

**(K: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,200)**

"I end my turn…" said Karl.

"I'm not done yet…" said Larry, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Because it's your End Phase, I can activate Revival Knight, and bring Hook back to the field in Defense Mode."

Hook appeared once again.

"Well, sure," said Karl. "Don't see what good it will do you…"

Larry angrily made a draw.

_He's right, _thought the spriggan, as he looked at the one card. _Raiho has 2,300 Defense Points, so there's no way, Hook can crack him. And I can't keep ditching cards to keep him from negating my Monsters' effects…_

_Time to change tactics…_

"I sacrifice Hook the Hidden Knight…" he said.

Hook vanished into an orb of silvery energy…

With a roar, a large robotic serpent appeared in front of Larry.

"A Cyber Dragon!" exclaimed Karl.

(2,100 ATK)

"That's right!" replied Larry. "Next, I activate Call of the Haunted."

His facedown card lifted up.

"I summon to the field a Monster you made me discard… The Tuner Monster, Karakuri Barrel mdl 96 'Shinkuro'."

The Machine that appeared was unlike any of the Karakuri that Willy used; it wasn't human-like at all. It looked like a large barrel with arms, legs, and a face on the front. (400 ATK)

"Now," he said, "I Tune my two Monsters together…"

The two Machines turned into a cluster of stars, which flew up into the sky.

"_Behold as these mechanical constructs form into a creature who can truly turn things topsy-turvy!"_

**(*2 + *5 = *7)**

_"Synchro Summon… Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 'Burei'!"_

_This _Karakuri _was _one that Willy had used… The metal-armored one shaped like a suit of Japanese plate armor, with a large fan for a weapon. (2,600 ATK)

"Burei's effect can switch the Battle Position of one Monster per round," said Larry. "But… Since your General would negate that effect… I'm getting rid of him…

"Attack with merciless fan blast!"

Burei beat his fan, causing a mighty wind. Raiho struggled, but was blown over, and shattered into pieces.

"And that's all," said Larry.

Karl made a draw. He frowned.

"I'll move Dance Princess to Defense Mode," he said.

Dance Princes knelt and shielded herself again. (900 DEF)

"And I'll set another Monster and a facedown card."

A hidden Monster appeared, followed by a card in his Spell Zone.

"Move…"

Larry drew a card.

"Well, what do you know?" he said, as he played it. "It's my second Dream Clown."

He played the card, and the silly jester appeared again. (1,200 DEF)

"Now, I'll use my Shogun's effect to move him to Defense Mode."

The Karakuri Shogun glowed with energy, and Dream Clown squatted in Defense. (900 DEF) Karl's set Monster shattered into pixels.

"You destroyed Blizzed, Defender of the Ice Barrier," said Karl. "That means I get to draw one card."

He made a draw.

"You'll need it," said Larry, "because now I'm using the effect of my A/D Changer."

"A/D Changer?" said Karl, as he opened his eyes wide. "What's that?"

A phantom image of a squat man with blue skin wearing an overcoat appeared behind Larry. He was holding a big red flag with the letter A and a big blue flag with the letter D.

"It's a Monster I discarded earlier," said Larry. "By removing it from play, I can switch the Battle Position of one Monster."

A/D Changer lowered the blue flag, then lifted the red one, and then vanished. Dream Clown stood up into Attack Mode. (1,200 ATK)

"Clobber his Dance Princess!" shouted the wicked gnome.

Dream Clown gave Dance Princess a powerful punch, and she shattered into pixels.

"Next, my Shogun attacks you directly!"

Burei beat his fan again, and Karl grunted as the wind plowed into him. Still, it hurt far less than that Hook's effect.

**(K: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,200)**

"I activate… Damage Gate!" exclaimed Karl, as his facedown card shot up. "Now I can bring back someone from my Graveyard with equal or less Attack Points than the damage I just took."

Samurai of the Ice Barrier appeared again. (1,800 ATK)

"Why him?" asked Larry. "If you'd had any sense you'd have brought back that effect-negating Warrior I destroyed last turn."

"I've got better Monsters than him," said Karl. "You may be ahead on points, but I'm turning this duel around.

"It's my move…"

He drew a card.

"I play Pot of Avarice!" he shouted.

He quickly played the card, and then took Aqua Spirit, Dance Princess, Blizzed, Pilgrim, and Raiho from his discard slot. He shuffled his deck, and made two draws.

"Whoa…" he said looking at the two cards.

"Got bad draws?" asked Larry, with a grin. "Not gonna to turn this duel around, huh?"

"No…" said Karl. "I'm going to finish it.

"I summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier."

He played the card, and the female Spellcaster with the collie hat appeared next to Samurai. (800 ATK)

"That's a Tuner!" exclaimed Larry.

"You got it," said Karl, as Geomancer and Samurai turned into a cluster of stars. "And that's bad for you, because I'm summoning…"

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"

With a roar, the large Dragon that seemed sculpted completely out of ice leapt onto the field. (2,500 ATK)

"But I won't be using him right away…" continued Karl. "First… I play Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier."

He threw the Spell Card into his Disk.

"Step one, I reveal three Ice Barrier Monsters in my hand."

He turned three cards forward, Wendigo of the Ice Barrier, Warlock of the Ice Barrier, and General Gantala of the Ice Barrier.

"Step two, I get to destroy one of your cards."

Larry gasped as Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 'Burei' shattered into pieces of broken metal.

"And step three, yes, there's a step three, I get to Special Summon an Ice Barrier Monster from my hand. Like General Grunard of the Ice Barrier!"

In a flourish and a sounding of horns, the great General clothed in armor made completely of ice appeared next to the Dragon. (2,800 ATK)

"It still isn't over…" said Larry, with a scowl.

"I'm not done," said Karl. "For each card I discard, Gungnir can destroy one of your cards."

He discarded Wendigo from his hand, and Gungnir breathed a blast of frost, freezing Dream Clown solid. It shattered into frozen shards.

"And finally," said Karl, "I use General Grunard's effect to make a second Normal Summon, so long as I use it to summon an Ice Barrier Monster.

"And by removing Wendigo from play, I can Normal Summon this Level 7 Monster with no sacrifice. Arise, General Gantala of the Ice Barrier!"

In another flourish, Gantala appeared on the opposite side of the Dragon. (2,700 ATK)

All three of Karl's Monsters glared angrily at the spriggan.

"Wait…" said Larry. "Wait a minute…"

"Save it…" said Karl. "I have no sympathy for folks who like to hurt people and use dirty tricks to win. Normally I'd feel sorry for this…"

He pointed.

"But it's very hard to feel sorry for a sadist."

As he said that, the two Generals and the Dragon fired three bolts of ice that combined into a powerful spiral. Larry's scream could be heard as a blizzard struck the whole arena…

**(K: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 0)**

Karl was down on one knee, catching his breath. His back still stung from the two cuts from that dark shadow's assault.

He looked around. Larry was gone.

"_Karl," _said Sal. _"You don't have time to look for him. You'd best get those wounds treated before they become infected."_

"Okay, okay…" said Karl. "I doubt he could have offered much anyway…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Half an hour later, back at the penthouse, Nichole was spreading antiseptic gel on the wounds. She wasn't a bona fide divine spellcaster, but you didn't follow St. Cuthbert for so long without learning something about healing.

"You were fortunate, Karl," she said. "I heard that the two members of Team Unicorn who faced that card are lucky to be alive… The good thing is, these cuts apparently started healing when you defeated that thing."

Of course, the shock from what Dugan told them was pretty intense.

"Area 51?" shouted Karl.

"Right…" said Dugan. "So… We basically have to find the identity of an Air Force chaplain who was stationed there ten years ago, who was discharged due to psychiatric reasons, who's now incredibly wealthy.

"And you're the Shadowjack, Karl."

"Impossible…" said Karl. "If I had access to a supercomputer and a month to work on it, I _might _be able to find the identity of a soldier that worked as a janitor in Area 51. Finding the identity of an officer who worked there would likely mean trying to break into the Pentagon's files. I'm not a miracle worker, Dugan."

"Karl, if I may play devil's advocate here," said Nichole, "we have to do something."

She started bandaging his back.

"This cult is using cards that can truly hurt people, and it's getting more dangerous by the day. We don't even know what they're ultimately up to."

Karl sighed.

"Okay, okay…" he said. "There may be something I can do… But I'm not making any promises."

He turned around and clicked on the mouse on the computer.

"There's no way that I can get that information… But if I can contact Black Jack, then maybe he can…"

Black Jack was a name that was legendary among Shadowjacks. According to the stories, about ten years ago, he (or possibly she, to be completely fair, as no civilians knew his or her true name) was the best Shadowjack alive, almost. There was no system he couldn't break into – he could hack into the IRS, the CIA, the FBI, or even the Pentagon. It wasn't known if he had ever hacked into the Shadowchasers' files… If he had, no-one had ever caught him.

So why was he "almost" the best Shadowjack who ever lived? His intrusions had been discovered. To escape a government dragnet which would have resulted in a very long prison term, he fled the country. No-one knew where Black Jack was now. Most assumed he was somewhere where the weather was warm, the women were frisky, and the extradition treaties were nonexistent.

Still, Black Jack was still willing to use his skills for any fellow Shadowjack able to find him. You couldn't e-mail him, as he didn't share his address, but if you knew where to look, you were able to send him a private message on several message boards – ones where the US government would likely never think to look – where he would only answer after he was certain he wasn't being contacted by the authorities.

"Mention the guy's fondness for Roquefort," added Dugan. "Any small bit of information might help."

"Okay…" said Karl.

After typing a message and converting it to code, Karl sent the PM.

"Okay, people…" he said. "If anyone can find out who Green Cheese is, Black Jack can...

"We just have to wait…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HOOK THE HIDDEN KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,600  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **When this card is attacked while in Attack Position, switch this card and the attacking Monster to face-up Defense Position. When this card is switched to Defense Position, inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent.

_Note: "Hook the Hidden Knight" first appeared in a featured duel in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Knight Takes Pawn", although it made several ominous cameo appearances in episodes previous to that._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK THE HIDDEN KNIGHT (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **This card can attack your opponent directly. When a Defense Position Monster you control is selected as an attack target, you may Tribute this card to switch the attack target to Attack Position.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REVIVAL KNIGHT (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Dark the Hidden Knight kneeling while holding a sword and surrounded by eerie energy.

**Card Description: **Activate during the End Phase of a turn where a Fiend-Type "Knight" Monster you control is destroyed. Special Summon that Monster from your Graveyard in face-up Defense Position.

_Note: "Dark the Hidden Knight" and "Revival Knight" were first used by Hermann in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Rook Takes Knight". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Dugan: We find out who Green Cheese is, and we also find out that he's planning the Great Sigil. **_

_**But what the heck IS a "Great Sigil"? And why do I get the feeling that this won't be easy?**_

_**It will all be explained in "First Confrontation; Our Enemy Revealed".**_


	36. First Confrontation, Our Enemy Revealed

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**First Confrontation**

**Our Enemy Revealed**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As midnight approached, Tiberius, Lorelei, and Lareth were waiting for the Triad to contact them. Tiberius often thought that they kept him waiting just to annoy him, but he was smart enough not to say so out loud.

Finally, the viewing portal appeared.

"Everything is nearing completion," said the First. "Thanks to Mr. Hape's cards, we seem to be ahead of schedule. Our next step will be for you to awaken the Tabernacle's powers, Lareth…"

"It would be my pleasure…" replied Lareth.

"_Unfortunately," _added the Second,_ "a sacrifice is required to do so, and it won't be easy to get."_

"Just tell us who you need," said Tiberius.

"Not a sacrifice of blood," replied the Third. "We need a sacrifice of power. Elemental energy from a source other than our god. A significant power of Earth, Fire, Wind, or Water."

"Hmm…" said Lareth.

"What hmmm?" asked Lorelei.

"My lords," said Lareth, "if this power were to come from a Duel Spirit, how powerful would it have to be?"

"Well, let me see…" said the first.

An odd device appeared in his hand. It looked like the device on the Fatal Abacus Trap Card.

Tiberius had seen him use this measuring device several times. A calculator was better in most cases, but this abacus could measure spiritual energy and soul energy, and convert it to more familiar systems (like, say, if you needed to know how much soul energy was needed to power a D-Wheel, this could convert its system to horsepower).

The First moved the beads on the abacus for a minute or two before nodding.

"At least Level 10, I'm afraid," he said.

"Then leave it to me," said Lareth.

The Triad looked at each other. Then they looked at Lareth hard, and then vanished.

"What are you going to do, Lareth?" asked Tiberius. "Level 10 Monsters don't exactly grow on trees. And most of them are Light or Dark."

"Besides," said Lorelei, "if you do something that the Shadowchasers end up investigating, they'll find out you're back in business. That could be bad."

Lareth opened the pouch on his belt that contained his side deck. He took out a card and looked at it.

"Then I'll just have to get what we need without breaking any laws," he said. "I'll need to find the target first, but it will be easy then…"

The other two Doomdreamers watched as he left the room.

"What do you think he's up to?" asked Lorelei.

"Dunno," said Tiberius. "The Shadowchasers impounded Uria after Iggwilv was defeated, right?"

"I believe so…" replied Lorelei.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The night passed, and the sun rose over Chicago. Ben and the Shadowchasers sat at the breakfast table. Karl's wounds still stung a little, but they were healing.

"Bartholomew, we're going to get fat if you keep feeding us like this," said Dugan.

"With all the exercise you folks get?" replied the brownie, as he passed out the French toast at the breakfast table. "I don't think…"

"You've got mail!" said the computer.

Karl quickly got up, and looked at the computer. He clicked on the icon.

"Guys…" he said. "Seems Black Jack came through…"

Everyone got up, and hurried to huddle around the computer.

The message was in code, but Sal was quickly able to decode it.

"According to this…" said Karl, "Green Cheese is…"

He stopped short.

"Ulysses Maxwell Tiberius. Says here he's the regional manager of... The Chicago branch of Technology Research Unlimited Enterprises?"

"Whoa!" exclaimed Nichole. "TRUE is behind this whole deal? You were right about their wealth rivaling Jalal's… That place has more money than the US Mint!"

"Let's not jump to conclusions, folks," said Dugan. "It's possible that all of TRUE is involved and that Maximillion Galti is ultimately behind this... But it's far more likely that this is an isolated incident."

"Well, let's find out," said Karl, as he started to type. "Breaking into the Pentagon's files may be beyond my ability, but getting into TRUE's local headquarters' files is much easier.

"Still, getting caught is not an option, so I'm sidetracking through eight international networks before trying to do so."

A world map appeared, and it showed Karl's path, moving from Chicago to eight different cities on North America, Europe, and Asia, one by one, circling the world before coming back to Chicago.

"Here we go…"

He started moving through the system, which looked like a labyrinth on the screen.

"We're on the right track, people," said Karl. "This security system was definitely designed by another Shadowjack.

"But I think I can avoid the traps he's placed…

"Almost there…"

Everyone watched nervously as they approached a door.

"**Input Password," **said a computerized voice.

"Here goes nothing," said Karl. "Cross your fingers…"

He typed in "Green Cheese".

The door swung open, and a blinding light flashed.

"Huh?" said Ben. "What happened?"

They hadn't accessed a file. It looked like they door had accessed a virtual dueling arena, with a duel in progress.

"It's a Duel Puzzle!" exclaimed Nichole.

"Tricky," said Dugan. "I think you're gonna have to solve it in order to access that file."

"Now I'm almost sure we're on the right track," said Karl. "Okay, let's see what we've got here…"

He looked over the field.

"Our opponent has two Monsters in Attack Mode, Different Dimension Dragon, and Jinzo. Its Spell Zone consists of Gravity Bind, Amplifier – Equipped to Jinzo, naturally – and a set card."

(Different Dimension Dragon: 1,200 ATK, Jinzo: 2,400 ATK)

"It also has a hand of one card."

"Maybe that facedown card is something that requires a discard," replied Nichole.

"Maybe," said Karl. "It has 2,000 Life Points remaining.

"Our field consists of Sonic Duck in Attack Mode, and two set cards, Rising Energy and Aegis of Gaia. We have a hand of six cards, Slate Warrior, Alector Sovereign of Birds, Confiscation, Premature Burial, and Scroll of Bewitchment."

(Sonic Duck: 1,700 ATK)

"We're allowed to use illegal cards?" asked Nichole.

"In these Duel Puzzles, any card in the I2 database is allowed," said Dugan. "I saw one once with five Blue-Eyes White Dragons."

"Right…" said Karl. "We have 1,200 Life Points remaining. That means we don't have enough Life Points to use both Confiscation and Premature Burial… Unless we first use that Aegis of Gaia, which is risky. However, Rising Energy _definitely _requires a discard. We have to win in one turn, and we're allowed three attempts. Failing three times will lock us out.

"And possibly alert the server.

"Well, I think I see the solution…"

He typed in a command, and an avatar of himself appeared in the arena, wearing a Duel Disk.

**(Karl: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 2,000)**

"The only way to win this is to use our Trap Card, and the only way to do that is to make sure Jinzo can't keep us from using it," he said. "Therefore, I sacrifice Sonic Duck to summon Alector Sovereign of Birds."

Sonic Duck vanished, and a larger Winged Beast appeared, a humanoid rooster in plate armor with red, feathered wings on its back. (2,400 ATK)

"Now, I'll use Alector's effect to nullify Jinzo's effect.

"Then, by playing Premature Burial, I can pay 800 Life Points to bring Sonic Duck back to the field."

He played the card, and Sonic Duck appeared again. (1,700 ATK)

**(Karl: 400) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 2,000)**

"With Jinzo out of commission," he said, as his Trap Card lifted up, "I can discard Confiscation to activate Rising Energy."

He discarded the card, and Sonic Duck glowed with fiery energy. (3,200 ATK)

"Attack Different Dimension Dragon!" he ordered.

Sonic Duck dashed towards the strange Dragon…

"**Discarding Honest from hand," **said the computer, as the one card in its hand flipped around.

"HUH?" said Karl. "Honest?"

Then he shielded himself as the Dragon's Attack Score shot up to 4,400, and it blasted Sonic Duck with a bolt of energy.

**(Karl: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 2,000)**

"**Access denied," **said the computer.

"Crap!" said Karl, as his avatar vanished.

"Honest, huh?" said Dugan. "Like I said, in these Duel Puzzles, _any _card at all can be used."

"Well, at least one unknown variable is solved," said Ben. "But we've used one of our three attempts to discover it…"

"Hmm…" said Nichole. "Let me take a crack at it, Karl. I think I see another way… I don't think I can do worse than you did…"

"Be my guest…" said Karl.

An avatar of Nichole appeared to face the computer, holding a Duel Disk.

**(Nichole: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 2,000)**

"Karl had the right idea," she said, "so I'll start the way he did."

Again, Nichole sacrificed Sonic Duck to summon Alector (2,400 ATK), used Alector's effect on Jinzo, and then Premature Burial to bring back Sonic Duck. (1,700 ATK)

"Next, I'll pad my Points by activating Aegis of Gaia," she said, as the set card lifted up.

"And now that I have enough Life Points, I can use Confiscation to send Honest to the Graveyard."

She played the card, and the card in the opponent's hand vanished.

**(Nichole: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 2,000)**

Then Nichole activated Rising Energy, discarding Slate Warrior to do so. (3,200 ATK)

"Attack!" she shouted.

Sonic Duck dashed towards Different Dimension Dragon like before…

"**Activating Malevolent Catastrophe," **said the computer, as its facedown card lifted up.

"Malevolent Catastrophe?" gasped Nichole. "That destroys all Spell and Trap Cards on the field!"

First, every Spell and Trap on the field shattered into pieces. Then Jinzo and Sonic Duck were blown into shards as well, as a result of the Equip Spells linked to them being destroyed. But Aegis of Gaia being destroyed was what mattered… It caused Nichole to lose the 3,000 Life Points she had gained.

**(Nichole: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 2,000)**

"**Access denied," **said the computer, as Nichole's avatar vanished.

"I was wrong…" she said. "I _did _do worse than you…"

"The good news is, we've uncovered both unknown variables," said Dugan. "The bad news is… We only have one attempt left…"

"Wait, I got it!" said Ben.

"You do?" asked Karl.

"Yeah…" said Ben. "Let me try… I think I see what the problem is…"

Ben's avatar appeared on the dueling arena, again holding a Duel Disk.

**(Ben: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 2,000)**

"The problem is, you two were fooled by red herrings," he said. "A lot of the cards here are unnecessary, and just led you into traps.

"First off, I'm going to use Scroll of Bewitchment and Equip it to Different Dimension Dragon, changing its Attribute to Dark."

He played the card.

"Of course!" said Nichole. "Now the Honest in its hand is useless."

"Wrong…" said Ben. "It wants us to think that… Honest will still be a threat if it triggers that Malevolent Catastrophe in response to an attack.

"Thus, I'm still going to disarm him of it by playing Confiscation."

He played the card, and the card in the opponent's hand vanished.

"But now you can't play Premature Burial…" said Karl.

"I don't have to," said Ben, "I don't have to Tribute Summon Alector at all. Because there are now two Monsters of the same Attribute on my opponent's side of the field, I can Special Summon Alector using its effect."

"Oh yeah!" said Karl. "I forgot you could do that with Alector."

Alector appeared on the field. (2,400 ATK)

"Now, I'm going to use Alector's effect… But not on Jinzo. I'm using it on Gravity Bind."

"Next, I Normal Summon Slate Warrior."

(1,900 ATK)

"So now, who cares if it uses that Trap Card?

"Time to battle! Sonic Duck, attack Different Dimension Dragon!"

Sonic Duck charged at the strange Dragon, and jammed its beak into its hide.

"Of course!" exclaimed Dugan. "Different Dimension Dragon can't be destroyed by Monsters that have 1,900 Attack Points or less, but your opponent still takes damage."

"And now Slate Warrior attacks!" said Ben.

Slate Warrior aimed its staff, and fired a bolt of green energy at the Dragon.

**(Ben: 200) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 800)**

"And finally… Alector!"

The Sovereign of Birds called lightning to his hands, and hurled it at Different Dimension Dragon. The Dragon finally shattered.

**(Ben: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (Computer: 0)**

"**Access approved," **said the computer.

"Great job, Ben," said Karl, as a new screen came up. "Now, let's see what's so important in this file…"

The file was labeled "The Great Sigil". It appeared to be a map of the North American continent, with many locations pinpointed.

Karl highlighted many of the locations. When he did so, either the words "Completed" or "Under Construction" appeared.

Montreal and the lizard man village were included. Those two were labeled "Unstaffed".

Chicago was on the map, and was labeled "Hub".

"These must be minor temples of some sort…" said Dugan.

"I don't get it…" said Nichole. "These locations don't seem to have much strategic value. With the exception of Chicago and Montreal, all of them are either small towns or not in towns at all. This place over here is in the middle of the Yukon Territory."

"Karl," said Dugan. "See if the Shadowchaser database mentions 'Great Sigil'."

"Well, let's see…" said Karl.

He punched in some numbers.

"I found one mention of it…" he said. "Comes from a journal entry in a log taken from a general of the House of the Surging Flame, dated fifty years ago…

"Listen to this…

"_The negotiations are difficult at best. Today a samebito sat in a tengu's chair and refused to move until a fight broke out. Two of my foot soldiers were injured trying to restore order. What's more, the cooked chicken I brought for lunch was stolen. I have no proof, but I suspect that gluttonous oni general. All he ever does is eat!_

"_Still, I remain optimistic. We all will see eye to eye. Sooner or later, our Clans will unite in a way that we have not done since we brought down the Great Sigil twelve-hundred years ago."_

Karl scrolled down.

"No mention of what that was, I'm afraid," he said.

"So… Fifty years ago, the Four Yokai Clans tried to form an alliance?" asked Nichole. "They obviously didn't succeed…"

"Yes, but apparently they _did _succeed at one point in their history," said Dugan. "Long ago, before the Shadowchasers were founded…"

"So what do we do?" asked Karl. "The Four Clans don't use computers. I can't hack into them…"

Everyone paused for a minute.

"Taka!" they all said at once.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A phone call and two hours later, Dugan was at Taka's penthouse.

He sat on the floor in front of a Japanese table as a woman dressed like a geisha poured tea for him and his host. She smiled sweetly, and left the room.

"Good thing you came when you did, Dugan," said Taka, who was clearly _not_ in a good mood. "I've been thinking of retiring, leaving this city permanently…

"Going to a place where there are far less Shadow-related problems… Maybe Seattle."

He sipped his tea.

"I don't blame you Taka," replied Dugan. "But I just need one more piece of information that I likely could only get from a Yokai…

"Do you know about something called the Great Sigil?"

Taka looked at him.

"I'm curious as to how you found out about that name," asked Taka. "No Yokai ever told any humans about it."

"I assure you, I didn't kill anyone you know to find out about it," said Dugan. "I think that it was some name used by some enemy that was powerful enough to unite all Four Yokai Clans twelve-hundred years ago."

Taka sighed.

"The reason no Yokai today ever speaks of this," he says, "is because we think we sound insane when we speak of it. But I have a feeling that you'll believe me…

"Twelve-hundred years ago, a cult of the Great Destroyer, the god whom you call Tharizdun, I believe, created a base in Asia.

"And they started to build.

"They built temples, all over the Asian continent. Their dark magic spread like a cancer. The thing was, most of the temples had very little strategic value. Many were located in isolated spots, very far from any civilized towns.

"Trouble was, many of them intruded on Yokai lands. So my people took action. After numerous skirmishes, several cultists were captured. We used interrogation techniques to find out what they were up to.

"They were building these temples to form the Great Sigil. Each of the temples would form an anchor point of a monstrous summoning symbol, hundreds of miles in diameter."

"Like a pentagram drawn on the very map of the Earth?" exclaimed Dugan.

"Sort of," replied Taka, "but not a pentagram. This was the reason for the odd placement of many of the temples. The shape of the Sigil had to be perfect, even if it meant building a temple in the middle of nowhere.

"If this gigantic symbol was finished, all they'd have to do, in theory, was wait for the right aligning of the stars, and a spell of incredible power fueled by the very core of the Earth would be cast through it. They believed that this mighty incantation would be sufficient to free Tharizdun from his prison."

"Hold on…" said Dugan. "If it was fueled by the core of the Earth, wouldn't that mean…"

"Yes…" said Taka. "Whatever Tharizdun decided to do next would be a moot point, as far as this world was concerned.

"The Four Yokai Clans knew that they had to take action. The Four Lords met in a council, and agreed that if they didn't put aside their differences and call a truce, there'd no longer be anything left to fight over. Tharizdun's vile machinations were well known, even among the Yokai, and they knew the results of his possible release.

"So, for the first and thus far only time, the Four Yokai Clans worked as a united force. We scored a few victories early on, defeating a few of the lesser temples, but it seemed pointless. No sooner had we taken a temple than a horde of demons would attack to retake it, and then rebuild it.

"After the casualties began to become staggering, the Lords made a plan… To end this threat, they would have to destroy the one temple that was irreplaceable… The Hub."

"The Hub?" asked Dugan.

"Their central base, one that would be located in the exact center of the Great Sigil," replied Taka. "It was where the actual ritual would be cast, and was a linchpin for all the other temples.

"So the biggest Yokai army in history marched against the dark tower. The Lords themselves led the assault, as only they were capable of leading such a large and diverse army. The battle lasted days, and was brutal and bloody. They faced legions of demons, undead, and even a red dragon. One of the casualties was the Lord of the Howling Gale.

"But the Yokai were victorious in the end… In one final strike, they caused the tower to collapse, sending many of the Doomdreamers screaming to their deaths. Those that remained were captured and burned at the stake, the usual punishment for crimes against nature."

Taka sighed. He sipped his tea again.

"Some optimistic Yokai believed that their cooperation would lead to peace, but it would not be so. The death of the Lord of the Howling Gale was the biggest reason…"

"How come?" asked Dugan.

"Well, you see," replied Taka, "when a Lord dies, after the period of mourning, his heir, usually his eldest son, becomes the new Lord. If the heir has a wife or a betrothed, she becomes the new Bride. If he doesn't, finding one becomes the first priority.

"If he's simply too young, then the old Bride retains her title, and the general with the most seniority performs the Lord's duties until actual Lord comes of age.

"Anyway, the new Lord of the Howling Gale did indeed have a wife, so the leadership of his clan changed completely. The Lord of the Raging Mountain, Shogun Mayato, saw this as an opportunity. His clan had always been the biggest rival of the Howling Gale, and he thought the change in leadership would cause unrest, and vulnerability. He started an offensive against them, saying that the alliance was over.

"It was a big mistake. The new Lord of the Howling Gale was more charismatic than the old oni had assumed, and a conflict started that was worse than the last time the two clans had battled.

"With those two clans occupied, the Surging Flame thought it was a good opportunity to renew their offensive against the Shrieking Tempest… The fighting had started again just as quickly as it had stopped.

"And since that time, every time any leader in any of the Four Clans proposes peace, someone brings up Mayato, a name that has become synonymous for 'fool' in the mind of any Yokai who grows tired of the fighting. Even members of the Raging Mountain."

He sighed again.

"So, did I answer your question?"

"Yes…" said Dugan. "Yes you have…"

_And it's obvious what the Doomdreamers' plan is now… _he thought. _They're planning to create the Great Sigil again… Only this time in North America…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

That evening, in the lounge at the penthouse, Jalal was listening in holographic form as Dugan explained everything. A worried look was on the face of the Shadowchasers' founder.

"This doesn't make sense," said Nichole. "This plan already failed once… Why would they try it again?"

"Maybe because they figure no-one would remember it," replied Dugan. "They didn't count on any Shadowchasers making deals with Yokai."

"I don't see what the big problem is," said Karl. "Scath and Nasquet are in jail… A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Without those two anchor points, the Great Sigil can't work."

"It's not that simple, Karl," said Jalal. "Tharizdun's cult no longer has any authority that lizard man village, but Tharizdun himself does. The temple is dedicated to him. And purging a deity's influence from a place can take a long time. It took Scath three years to purge Semuanya's influence from that temple… Tharizdun is stronger than Semuanya, so Sslinth has an even harder job.

"As for Nasquet, the house is still his. And I mean _his. _He doesn't pay a mortgage on it, it's completely paid for. I can't make a request to a judge to order it torn down… Even with evidence that it housed a shrine to an evil god, doing so would violate _several _tenants of the Treaty."

"Lovely…" said Dugan. "And the other temples know we're on to them. They likely concealed any evidence by now…

"The best way to solve this problem may be to do what the Yokai clans did… strike at the Hub… The main temple."

"Which is likely in the TRUE Building here in Chicago…" added Nichole.

"People, this is heavy," said Jalal. "Maximillion Galti has so much influence that even the King of England has to make an appointment to see him. Getting a warrant to search that building is _not_ going to be easy."

"So what do we do?" asked Dugan.

"Well," said Jalal, with a sigh. "You could go to the building's lobby and check for magical auras. If you find anything suspicious, we might be able to get a warrant easier.

"But _please, _don't accuse anyone of anything before we have concrete proof!

"By the way, we thought we should warn you… Jeremy Skull has escaped from jail."

"How?" gasped Dugan. "Wasn't he in a warded circle of some sort?"

"Yes," replied Jalal, "but we had to transport him for a court appearance, and as you know, the transport is the weakest part of a correction system. One of the bones in his ribcage was actually a magical item called a Skelton Key, something made from bone that can undo locks. He used it to slip free from his manacles and escape.

"I'm going to have a _long _discussion with the guy in charge of security in the prison complex soon… All the tightwad ever does these days is propose ways to trim the budget, when these things are happening.

"Until then…

"Be on your guard…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The next morning, Dugan, Karl, Nichole, and Ben walked into the front lobby of the TRUE Building.

They looked around. Nothing seemed amiss at first… There was a receptionist desk, with a metal detector manned by a security guard leading to the elevators (standard equipment for most big office buildings).

"I really feel out of place," said Ben, nervously.

"Just act casual…" said Karl.

They noticed someone in the corner, glaring daggers at them. It was Graves, although they had never met him.

Eventually, he walked up to them.

"Exactly what do you folks think you're doing?" he asked.

"Uh, well…" said Dugan.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave," said Graves. "Now."

Before Dugan could respond, another voice butted in.

"Graves, Graves!" said the much more pleasant voice. "Must we be so rude?"

Tiberius walked into the lobby. He was smiling as he approached the Shadowchasers.

"You have to excuse Graves, folks," he said, "he has a condition. You three are Shadowchasers, right?"

"Mr. Tiberius, I assume?" asked Dugan.

"You're an Aware?" asked Nichole.

"Yes, Miss Belvins, but I was a late bloomer," replied Tiberius. "And you are Major Dugan… This is an honor… I was an old military man myself once… Now, what can I do for you folks?"

"Well, uh…" said Dugan.

"Say no more," said Tiberius. "There have been reports of suspicious activity concerning this place, I assume? Well, feel free to search my premises all you like."

"You're giving us permission?" asked Nichole.

"That's right," replied Tiberius.

"Take note of that, Karl…" said Dugan. "He gave us permission."

Tiberius handed Dugan a business card.

"If there's anything at all I can help you with, just call this number," he said. "It's my pager. Feel free to stay for lunch too… The commissary is serving beef stroganoff today."

Dugan turned to Ben.

"You wait in the lobby," he said.

"You got it," said Ben.

He turned to Nichole and Karl.

"We'll split up," he said. "Keep your cell phones on…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Two hours later, Dugan had been through fifteen floors, and hadn't found anything out of the ordinary. He picked up his phone.

"Anything, Karl?" he asked.

"The most suspicious thing I've found so far is an employee smoking in the men's room," said Karl. "Nothing on my equipment either."

"How about you, Nichole?" asked Dugan.

"He was telling the truth about the commissary serving beef stroganoff today," replied Nichole, "but there's nothing else cooking here…"

_Weird… _said Dugan. _That file exists… But it seems that this place is perfectly legit…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Graves was watching Ben closely, who was watching him back.

Finally, the old manservant sighed. He shook his head.

"Ben, right?" he asked. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You can ask…" said Ben.

"Why do you hang out with them?" asked Graves.

"Where else would I go?" replied Ben.

"A valid reason, I suppose…" said Graves, with another sigh. "Another question… Do you trust them?"

"Well… yeah…" said Ben.

"And do they trust you?" asked Graves.

Ben hesitated.

"I believe so…" he replied.

"Then do a man a favor and give them a message," said Graves.

He looked at Ben hard.

"I know that their intent is to prevent people from getting hurt, which is a commendable goal.

"People are going to get hurt no matter what they do… The most they can do is not escalate it by interfering.

"The most they can do is simply stay away."

He turned around, and walked towards the metal detector.

"Wait!" said Ben.

Graves didn't wait. He passed though the checkpoint and out of Ben's sight.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

After another hour, Tiberius watched as they left.

"Take care now," he said.

Once they were gone, Lorelei and Lareth walked into the lobby. It was hard to tell where they had come from.

"That was too close," said Lareth. "And they're getting closer. What were you thinking being so nice? Did you actually think you would throw them off our trail?"

"Not really, no," replied Tiberius, with a nervous expression.

"What are we going to do?" said Lorelei. "The Ritual of Displacement is next week. If they find the true base…"

"We're going to have to work harder…" said Lareth. "We'll have to become twice as smart as before…"

"Oh sure, Lareth, that would be perfect…" said Tiberius, with a hint of sarcasm. "Once I achieve an IQ of 300, I'll be smart enough to build a satellite armed with an antimatter disintegrator cannon that we can use to blow Shadowchaser Headquarters off the map."

Lareth growled. His pep talks always worked better when he made them to rank-and-file cultists…

"Hmm…" said Tiberius. "I think we'll simply _invite _them to the true base…"

Meanwhile, the Shadowchasers were talking outside.

"I even checked out the gargoyles on the roof," said Nichole. "They may be ugly, but they're no more magical than the ones on Notre Dame Cathedral. And as we all know, that's a church."

"Well, I did find one little thing…" said Karl.

"We're all ears, Karl," said Dugan.

"It seems that this building is a 'hot spot' for teleportation magic," said Karl.

"A 'hot spot'?" asked Ben.

"Yeah," said Ben. "See, when you use a magical spell to teleport somewhere unfamiliar, there's a chance of a mishap, of arriving in the wrong place. There's even a chance of arriving higher than your destination, in which case you'd fall, or lower… in which case you'd probably be killed. For this reason, most wizards only teleport to places that they're familiar with.

"But in a hot spot, the chance of error is greatly decreased.

"And people… A teleportation hot spot is usually created when teleport magic is done often in that spot.

"Of course, these hot spots aren't exactly hard to find. Chicago had ten known ones at last count. Shadowchaser Headquarters has been a hot spot for centuries."

"There's more people…" said Ben. "That Graves person… He kinda told me to warn you guys to stay away."

"Really?" said Dugan. "He threatened you?"

"Well, no…" said Ben. "It was kind of a vague warning… But the message was pretty clear. I'm starting to think that when he so rudely told us to leave when we first came in…

"Well… Maybe he thought it was for our benefit…"

Dugan rubbed his chin.

"Maybe we searched the wrong place…" he said. "Maybe there's some secret base in Chicago that Tiberius teleports to from the TRUE Building…

"The problem now is finding it."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Tiberius walked into Xane's cluttered workshop.

"Xane!" he said.

"Yes?" replied Xane, from behind him, causing him to jump.

"Don't do that!" shouted Tiberius. "Look, I need three dark homunculi, and I need them by tomorrow at noon."

"I can do that…" replied Xane. "But it would be a rush job, and I cannot guarantee that they will be my best work."

"Do the best you can," ordered Tiberius. "The donations for their spark will come from me, Lorelei, and Lareth."

"As you wish…" said Xane.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As noon approached, Drago Uccisore was sitting at a table outside a coffee shop in the Loop.

He had not given up his goal of finding a way to challenge Jalal, and had stayed in the city, hoping to find a way to confront either Dugan or Nichole. However, he had not yet found a bargaining chip to do so with. He might have considered using one of the Shadowchasers as a hostage to force Jalal to accept the wager if not for the fact that his boss would skin him if he tried.

Still, he had been intrigued by this invitation… Even though he expected nothing more than a big laugh from it.

He looked at Lorelei suspiciously as she sat down at the table.

"I gotta admit, I am suspicious…" said the khimera. "Beautiful women don't usually speak to me unless I pay them first."

"Well, I have a little offer for you…" said Lorelei. "I heard you want to live forever."

"And I'm supposed to believe you can make that happen?" asked Drago.

"Hear me out…" said Lorelei. "Do you know how the gods stay immortal?"

Drago looked at her funny.

"I assume because they're… gods?" he asked.

"Well, let me explain it…" said Lorelei. "The Greek gods are immortal because they eat special food called ambrosia, and drink something called nectar. The Norse gods stay eternally young because they bite into apples cultivated by Iðunn, the goddess of fertility and youth. Chinese legend spoke of the peaches of immortality, grown by an ancient goddess named Xi Wangmu, the Queen Mother of the West."

"Hold on! Hold on!" interrupted Drago. "Are you saying that gods are immortal because of their _diet?"_

"More or less," said Lorelei. "But they guard this food jealously, as there isn't enough to share with mortals... Most of the time."

"_Most_ of the time?" said Drago.

Lorelei lifted a plate of black peaches onto the table.

"These are Abyssal fruits," she said. "They're how my god stays immortal. He doesn't associate with other gods, so he has more than he himself can use. He's quite willing to share…

"Go on… Try one."

Drago laughed.

"Yeah… right!" he said. "I know how this works! I work in organized crime, remember? Those things are likely addictive, and you're giving me a free sample just to get me hooked. It's the oldest routine in the book."

"Addictive?" said Lorelei, lifting an eyebrow. "Please… I'll tell you right away, these do _not _taste very good. "

She took one and bit into it. She frowned

"Rather foul, actually, but sometimes you have to take bitter medicine."

Drago hesitated. He took one of the fruits and looked at it.

Finally, he ventured to taste it. He made a face.

"Man, you're right…" he said. "Reminds me of the time my uncle tried to make spaghetti sauce, and confused the abbreviations for teaspoon and tablespoon.

"Hey… Wait a minute…" 

He put his hand over his chest.

"I… I can breathe easier…"

"That's because all the tar and carcinogens that have accumulated in your lungs from smoking all your life have been eradicated," said Lorelei, with a smile. "When you next go to the doctor, you'll find your blood pressure and cholesterol level drastically improved.

"See? Only one bite, and already you're on your way to eternal life!"

"What do I have to do?" exclaimed Dragon, standing up. "How can I get more of these? If I have to change religions, I'll convert!"

"Duel for me… A muscular elf with green skin will be at Buckingham Fountain in an hour. Go and duel him.

"But not with your deck. Take this one. It's a powerful deck with incredibly rare cards."

She handed him a deck. He took it, and looked through the cards.

"Oh, and if you have to… persuade him, I'll make sure the police stay away."

"I won't fail…" he said.

Lorelei grinned evilly as he ran off.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Ben was only five blocks away, having ordered a hamburger and fries at a local diner. Dugan had been nice enough to give him some cash to get lunch.

As the waiter set the plate down in front of him, he noticed a small note on the plate.

He looked at it.

It said:

_**I know who you are. Do you?**_

_**Come to Buckingham Fountain at one o'clock.**_

Ben looked at the simple note for a long time…

Then he looked at the clock…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: It seems I've been had. I came here expecting to find answers, and all I've found is Draco Uccisore, who also seems to have been had.**_

_**I don't want to duel him… I just want to walk away… The only problem is, Draco is a mobster, he has a gun, and he's not afraid to use it if I refuse. Seems I have no choice…**_

_**Besides, I think this has a deeper meaning…**_

"_**The Beacon; A Dark Alarm" is coming soon.**_


	37. The Beacon, A Dark Alarm

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Beacon**

**A Dark Alarm**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Ben ran into the large square where Buckingham Fountain stood. He looked around.

"Well, I'm here!" he shouted.

"Good," said a voice. "So am I."

Ben spun around, and saw the hulking khimera watching him, smoking a slim cigarette.

"Drago Uccisore?" he gasped.

"Heh…" said Drago. "I'm guessing that you know who I am because you read the newspapers…

"Well, Mr. Paper Reader… I have _no _idea who _you_ are…

"But if Lorelei wants me to duel you, then that's what I'm gonna do…"

He threw the cigarette aside, and took a Duel Disk out of his coat.

"Duel me?" asked Ben. "Wait… Who the heck is Lorelei?"

"None of your business," said Drago.

"And what if I were to refuse?" asked Ben.

Drago looked at him. Then he opened his coat slightly, revealing a handgun in a holster.

"Your serious, aren't you?" asked Ben.

"Normally, I work as a Mr. Fanciullo's bodyguard," said Drago. "That means I'm usually a defensive fighter… But it doesn't mean I can't deliver a lethal strike when I have to.

"And don't try yelling for help, either. Lorelei said she'd do her best to keep the cops away, and even if they got by whatever she's using to do so, I guarantee that you'd be dead and I'd be gone long before any help came.

"So, either duel me, or try to run… Although I have to warn you, my leg muscles were enhanced by those of a puma's…"

_Lovely… _thought Ben. _One of the most notorious mobsters in the Fanciullo Family, and I don't even have that mace with me…_

_Guess I have no choice…_

He activated his Duel Disk, and the deck was shuffled.

"I see you've decided to accept my offer," said Drago.

He chuckled.

"Personally, if it had been me, I would have tried to run…"

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Drago: 8,000)**

"Seniority rules here," said Drago, as he made his first draw.

"I'm goin' first."

He looked over his hand.

"I'll set two cards," he said. "One's a Monster and the other… uh, isn't…"

The two set cards materialized in front of him.

"And then I'll turn it over to you."

"I'm drawing!" said Ben.

He lifted an eyebrow when he saw what he had. He quickly fit a card into his Disk.

"I play the Continuous Spell Card, Black Whirlwind!" he exclaimed, as the Spell appeared on his side of the field.

"This card's effect comes into play whenever I Normal Summon a Blackwing Monster. I can then take another Blackwing from my deck that has less Attack Points than the one I summoned."

"Blackwings, huh?" chuckled Drago. "Who would have guessed…"

"Don't laugh, because the Blackwing I'm summoning is…" replied Ben.

He played a card.

"Blackwing – Bora the Spear!"

With a loud cry, one of Crow Hogan's signature Winged Beasts, a humanoid black bird holding a large lance, flew onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"And like I said, I can take a Blackwing from my deck now," he said, as he took a card from his deck.

"And due to its effect, I can Special Summon it. Meet Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind!"

He played the card, and a smaller Blackwing with violet feathers and a green plumage flew onto the field. (1,300 ATK)

"I suppose you're going to make a Synchro Summon?" asked Drago.

"Not yet…" replied Ben. "Because when Bora the Spear attacks a Monster in Defense Mode with more Attack Points, you take the difference in damage."

Bora dive-bombed the set Monster. A Giant Germ appeared on the card; the Blackwing impaled it with its lance, and it burst.

"Ergh!" grunted Drago.

"Right… That cost me, but you lose 500 Life Points, and I get two more Giant Germs…"

Two more of the huge bacteria appeared where the first had been. (1,000 ATK x2)

"You think I'm afraid to attack another one?" asked Ben. "Gale, get the second Germ! Black Scratch!"

Gale the Whirlwind flew at the Fiend, claws-first…

"I activate… Negate Attack!" shouted Drago, as his facedown card lifted up.

Gale bounced off an invisible shield.

"All right…" said Ben. "I end my turn…"

**(B: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,400)**

Drago smiled, and drew a card.

"You really should have summoned Armor Master when you had the chance…" he said. "Because it could have stood up to what I'm summoning next…

"I sacrifice both my Germs…"

The two ugly spheres turned into a dark orb of energy.

"…for Darkness Destroyer!"

With a roar, a huge, hideous creature loomed above Ben and his two Winged Beasts. Ben had never seen this Monster before, and just looking at it, he figured that had been a good thing. It combined the worst aspects of a Dragon, Fiend, and Zombie, standing ten feet tall, with claws a foot long, and sharp, bony horns all over its body. (2,300 ATK)

"Good lord…" he said, looking at it.

Darkness Destroyer looked at him. Vile saliva dripped from its maw…

"Attack Bora the Spear!" shouted Drago. "Blasphemous Rage!"

Darkness Destroyer let out a roar, and a mob of demons spewed from its jaws. Bora screamed in agony, and then literally imploded. Only drops of blood were left…

"You made a big mistake!" shouted Ben. "Next round, Gale the Whirlwind will…"

"…not be around," interrupted Drago. "Because Darkness Destroyer gets to attack twice per round."

_You gotta be kidding… _thought Ben.

Apparently, he was not, because Darkness Destroyer let loose its Blasphemous Rage again, obliterating Gale and knocking Ben on his back.

**(B: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,400)**

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn…" said Drago, as a set card appeared in his Spell Zone. "And just a warning… If you're thinking of putting a Monster in Defense Mode, this big guy also has a trampling effect, just like your Bora the Spear."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the room where they had spoken to the Triad, Tiberius, Lorelei, and Hape were watching the duel on a holographic viewing screen (Lareth had left to work on the project he had mentioned) while Graves stood in the background. Tiberius and Lorelei were wearing riding outfits.

"Okay, I'll bite…" said Tiberius. "Where did you get this deck, Lorelei?"

"A while back, some guy who was working with the Sons of Tyranny was forging counterfeit cards," replied Lorelei. "He managed to make a few of Darkness' cards, but couldn't find anyone brave enough to use them."

"Brave enough?" asked Hape, with a suspicious glance.

"Fine…" said Lorelei. "He couldn't find anyone _stupid _enough to use them. So he was willing to sell them at a discount price.

"Still, as foul-tasting as those fruits are, eating one for the first time can make someone drunk with the power held within, so Drago became the perfect pawn. I almost feel sorry for him…"

"You sure this will work?" asked Tiberius.

"You wanted me to get the Shadowchasers' attention, right?" replied Lorelei. "When Drago summons the ace Monster of that deck, all the monitors at their central command are going to light up like pinball machines."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move…" said Ben.

He drew a card.

"I summon Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame!"

He played the card, and a new Blackwing, this one taller and slimmer than Bora, with blue plumage, appeared on the field. (1,800 ATK)

"And just how's he going to defeat my Monster?" asked Drago.

Darkness Destroyer glared hungrily at the Winged Beast.

"He's not going to do it alone," said Ben. "That's the thing about Blackwings… They always work as a group to bring big enemies down.

"I use the effect of Black Whirlwind to get my second Bora the Spear…"

He took a card from his deck.

"And due to his effect, because I already have one Blackwing, I can Special summon him."

He played the card, and a twin of the first Bora materialized. (1,700 ATK)

"I'm not done!" he said, as he played a Spell Card. "Next I play… Dark Eruption! Now I can recover a Dark Monster from my Graveyard, so long as it has 1,500 Attack Points or less."

He took Gale the Whirlwind from his discard slot.

"You remember how Gale works, right? I think I'll Special Summon him too."

Gale reappeared, none the worse off for wear. (1,300 ATK)

"Then I'll use Gale's effect, to cut the Attack Score of your Monster in half."

Truly living up to his name, Gale the Whirlwind beat his wings furiously, causing a ferocious windstorm. Darkness destroyer groaned… (1,150 ATK)

"Now that Gale has done his job, Darkness Destroyer is easy prey for Shura."

Shura the Blue Flame flew at Darkness Destroyer like a dart, smashing the huge Fiend to pieces like it was made of black glass.

"This activates Shura's effect, by the way," continued Ben. "When he clobbers a Monster, I get to Special Summon a Blackwing from my deck with 1,500 Attack Points or less, so long as I negate its effect.

"So, I'll bring out Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor."

A very strange Blackwing appeared. It was a small Winged Beast with white wings and red plumage, covering himself with a black coat and wearing Japanese-style sandals. (800 ATK)

"I'm not done with you," said Ben. "Gale, Bora… Attack that thug directly!"

The two Blackwings flew at the henchmen. Drago grunted as Gale's claws sank into him, and he grunted again as Bora stabbed him with the lance.

"I activate… Damage Gate!" he shouted, as his facedown card lifted up. "I'll use it to summon a Giant Germ from my Graveyard!"

One of the filthy orbs appeared again. (1,000 ATK)

Ben thought for a minute.

"Why don't you bring Armor Master out?" asked Drago. "I'd love to see him…"

"Oh, you just _want _me to do that, huh?" asked Ben. "I'm not falling for it, Drago. I end my turn…"

**(B: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,750)**

Drago drew a card.

"I sacrifice my Germ…" he said.

The Germ vanished again.

"…to summon the Lord of the Underworld…"

A cloud of vile, black smoke started to appear in front of him.

"I call forth Dark Ruler Ha Des!"

It was indeed Dark Ruler Ha Des. Standing in front of Ben and his four Blackwings was the ruler of Fiends, in all his glory. (2,450 ATK)

_Okay… _thought Ben. _That guy is trouble… But at least I know what it is…_

"Destroy Gale the Whirlwind!" ordered Drago. "Stygian blast!"

Dark Ruler Ha Des pointed, and an aura of shadow surrounded his arm. Then, a blast of dark energy shot at Gale the Whirlwind, and the Blackwing burst into an explosion of feathers.

"It's your move…" said Drago.

**(B: 4,850) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,750)**

Ben made a draw.

"All right Drago," he said. "I'm going to play my Pot of Duality."

He played the Spell Card.

"In exchange for giving up my right to Special Summon this turn, I get to reveal the top three cards from my deck, and then pick one."

Three cards appeared in front of him: The Beginning of the End, Blackwing – Fane the Steel Chain, and Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr.

He pointed at Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr, and the card appeared in his hand. The other two cards vanished, and the deck was reshuffled.

_I may not have any choice but to summon Armor Master now… _he thought. _This card can do that… But since I can't Special Summon this turn…_

"I move all three of my Monsters to Defense Mode," he said.

Shura the Blue Flame knelt and shielded himself. (1,200 DEF) Bora knelt and held his spear in his lap. (800 DEF) There was little change in Vayu's appearance, but he defended too. (0 DEF)

"That will be all," he said.

Drago drew a card.

His eyes lit up when he saw what it was.

_This beast will win the duel for me! _he thought.

He looked at his hand.

_Unfortunately, I can't summon it right now… But I will soon…_

"Dark Ruler, attack his Bora the Spear!"

The Fiend ruler cast his Stygian blast, and Bora was blown to pieces.

"You know, it's too bad that these birds of prey that I'm wiping out are only holographic images," said Drago. "If they were real, I'd have a good chance of being able to use my khimera abilities to grow functional wings! You can count on one hand the number of khimera who've actually managed to do that."

"It isn't easy, I assume?" asked Ben, who was more than a little irked.

"Hell no," said Drago. "You need more than the actual wings… You need to change your skeletal system, so that your bones are hollow but strong, like a bird's… You need to change your shoulder muscles too, alter your metabolism… So much has to be done before a khimera can truly fly…

"Shadowkind like harpies who were born with the ability… They lucked out…"

"Right…" said Ben.

He drew a card.

"Harpies also smell bad and have no manners," he said. "But if they can fly, I guess they're lucky…

"I summon the Tuner Monster, Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr!"

The Blackwing that appeared next was not black at all. He was orange, with yellow wings, and had a childish expression. (1,100 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together Breeze the Zephyr and Shura the Blue Flame!"

The two Blackwings spread their wings and soared into the sky, where they faded into a cluster of stars.

"_Let these graceful creatures take flight and combine into a form that will fly to unfathomable heights!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Blackwing Armor Master!"_

A powerful Winged Beast clad head to toe in black armor flew down from above, Crow Hogan's ace Monster before Black-Winged Dragon came along. (2,500 ATK)

"You wanted it, Drago, and now you're getting it!" he said. "Attack his Dark Ruler! Black Hurricane!"

A savage storm of wind struck the dueling field, and Armor Master flew, making a beeline for Ha Des. The Dark Ruler grunted as the Winged Beast rammed both of his fists into him, and the Fiend lord shattered into pixels.

**(B: 4,850) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,700)**

"End turn…" said Ben, as Armor Master alighted back on his side of the field.

Drago drew a card. Then, without saying a word, he played it – Pot of Avarice.

He took all three Giant Germs, Darkness Destroyer, and Dark Ruler Ha Des from his discard slot, and reshuffled them into his deck. He drew two cards.

Then again, without saying a word, he played three cards. Two cards appeared in his Spell Zone, and then Giant Orc appeared in front of him. (2,200 ATK)

He glared at Ben.

"I take it that means you want me to move…" said Ben, making a draw.

He drew a card.

It was my Body as a Shield.

Ben was excited, but he didn't show it.

_I have him! _he thought. _Unless one of those Traps is Dimensional Prison, I have him cold!_

"Armor Master, destroy his Orc!" he shouted.

The armored Blackwing flew at Giant Orc…

"You took the bait just like I planned!" laughed Drago.

He held a card forward.

"Uh, that's Archfiend Soldier…" said Ben. "How is that going to…"

"In response to your attack," said Drago, "I send one Fiend on the field and one in my hand to the Graveyard…"

Giant Orc and the Archfiend Soldier in Drago's hand vanished.

"In order to summon my ultimate creature!"

The streets around Buckingham Fountain erupted in flames, and the smell of brimstone filled the air. A hideous form rose out of the fires. It was a hideous Fiend with scaly, black skin, twisted claws, and two wings on its back, the right one feathered, and the left one bat-like. It had long, red hair on its head, where its eyes were closed, but it also had two open eyes on its chest, horrible red eyes covered with a disgusting film, that glared at Ben with expressions of pure Evil. (4,000 ATK)

"So…" said Drago. "What do you think about Darkness Neosphere?"

Ben didn't know what to say at first… It was like he remembered this thing from one of his previous lives… One that had ended very violently.

Then he calmed down a little.

_Okay, it's big and hideous, and it has 4,000 Attack Points… _he thought. _But I can still use Armor Master's effect to bring it down…_

"Armor Master, continue your attack!" he shouted.

Armor Master flew towards the vile thing…

"Not so fast!" shouted Drago. "I activate Gravity Bind!"

His facedown card lifted up, and Armor Master was stopped dead in its tracks.

"WHAT?" shouted Ben. "But… That Monster of yours is Level 10! Don't you know that it can't attack in a Gravity Bind either?"

He paused.

"Uh… It can't, right?"

Drago chuckled.

"No, it cannot," said the mobster. "Darkness Neosphere can definitely NOT attack in a Gravity Bind."

"You're up to something, Drago…" said Ben. "For now… I end my turn…"

Drago drew a card.

"First thing I'm going to do," he said, "is play this…."

He played a Spell Card.

"Forbidden Chalice! You see, I know that your Armor Master can't be destroyed by battle… But, by using this card, he loses his effects for the turn. Sure he gains a few Attack Points…"

(2,900 ATK)

"…but that's not going to matter in a minute, because I'm using the effect of Darkness Neosphere to return all my face-up Trap Cards to my hand."

Gravity Bind vanished, and reappeared in Drago's hand. Ben's eyes opened wide.

_It's the perfect strategy… _he thought. _With that thing's effect, he can deactivate Gravity Bind any time he wants to, and then set it again immediately afterwards!_

"Attack!" shouted Drago. "Hellfire tempest!"

Darkness Neosphere simply pointed, and a bolt of flames shot along the ground towards Armor Master. The Blackwing howled as he was roasted alive inside his armor…

Then, the armor fell to the ground in smoldering pieces.

**(B: 3,750) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,700)**

Drago chuckled, and set a card in his Disk, which appeared in his Spell Zone. Ben didn't doubt for an instant that it was Gravity Bind.

"Your move…" he said.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

As Lorelei has predicted, sirens were flashing in every important building in Shadowchaser Headquarters.

Jalal rushed into the nerve center of the base, where global activities were monitored.

"What the Hell is going on?" he shouted. "I didn't order a code red!"

"It came on automatically sir!" replied a technician. "Take a look…"

Jalal looked at a screen.

"Good lord…" he said.

"Jabels! Get me through to the Shadowchasers in Chicago and be ready to send an emergency squad there!

"And cancel all my other appointments today…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ben was likely oblivious to the actual nature of the Fiend he was facing, but he was determined to fight on. He drew a card.

_Hmm… _he thought.

"Because I already have one Blackwing on the field," he said. "I can Normal Summon this guy with no sacrifice.

"Meet Blackwing – Elfin the Raven." 

A new Blackwing appeared, one that looked much older than the others, with greying feathers. His wings and plume were thicker and fuller. (2,200 ATK)

"I get to take a Blackwing from my deck due to Black Whirlwind…" he said.

He took a card from his deck.

"And due to Elfin's effect, I can move one of your Monsters to Defense Mode."

Darkness Neosphere knelt and crossed its arms over its chest. (4,000 DEF)

"I don't know what your game is," said Drago, but it won't work.

His facedown card lifted up, and Gravity Bind activated again.

"Then maybe these will work better," said Ben, as he threw two cards into his Disk.

The two cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

"I end my turn…"

"My move!" said Drago, making a draw.

"And my Trap Card activates!" shouted Ben, as one of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Icarus Attack! I'll sacrifice Vayu, and blow both Darkness Neosphere and Gravity Bind to pieces!"

Vayu the Emblem of Honor became shrouded in flames. He flew towards the hideous Fiend…

"Not so fast!" shouted Drago. "I activate… Destruction Jammer!"

His other facedown card lifted up, and he discarded Soul Demolition from his hand. Vayu shattered into pixels.

"You didn't really think I wasn't prepared for that, did you?" he asked.

Ben didn't respond.

"No matter…" said Drago. "I switch Neosphere to Attack Mode…"

Neosphere stood up. (4,000 ATK)

"…and then I use its effect to return Gravity Bind to my hand…"

Gravity Bind vanished again.

"You did just what I wanted you to do," said Ben with a smirk. "Now my real trap is sprung!"

His other facedown card shot up.

"Hand Destruction! Now, both players must ditch two cards in their hands and draw two replacements."

"WHAT?" shouted Drago. "But…"

"You _only _have two cards in your hand," said Ben. "Gravity Bind won't be used again."

Drago scowled, and discarded Gravity Bind along with Monster Reincarnation. Ben discarded two cards, and then they both drew two.

"Big deal!" shouted Drago. "I can still finish you this turn! I summon Slate Warrior!"

He played the card and the weird-looking Fiend in golden armor and ruffled sleeves and pants appeared on the field. (1,900 ATK)

"Darkness Neosphere…"

The dark abomination pointed.

"…obliterate Elfin the Raven!"

Elfin screamed in agony as he erupted in flames.

"Hmm…" said Drago.

**(B: 3,350) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,700)**

"HUH?" said Drago. "You only lost 400 Life Points?"

"That's right," said Ben. "All thanks to a little guy named Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow. By discarding him from my hand, Elfin gained 1,400 Attack Points just before your attack hit."

Drago frowned. He pointed, and Slate Warrior fired a bolt of green energy from its staff, hitting Ben directly in the gut. Ben grunted and clutched his stomach.

"So you manage to survive another turn, so you got rid of my Gravity Bind…" said Drago. "So you tricked me into using my Destruction Jammer…

"But I'll let you in on another of Neosphere's abilities… Like your Armor Master, he can't be destroyed in battle. So just try to take him down."

**(B: 1,450) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,700)**

Ben took some deep breaths.

"That's a challenge I'm all too willing to accept," he said, as he drew a card.

"First, I'm going to use the effect of Vayu the Emblem of Honor.

"You see, when he's in my Graveyard, I can use his effect to Special Summon any Synchro Monster from my Extra Deck with the word 'Blackwing' in its name. All I have to do is remove him and other Blackwings in my Graveyard from play, their Levels totaling the Level of the Monster I want to summon."

Vayu and Armor Master appeared behind him, and faded into nothing.

"So, by removing those two from play, I can Special Summon Blackwing – Silverwind the Ascendant!"

With a loud screech, the most majestic Blackwing yet flew onto the field. It had the largest plume, huge white wings, and held a large katana sword. (2,800 ATK)

"Such a dramatic entrance for such a dismal failure," said Drago. "Since you summoned it with Vayu's effect, it can't use its own effect… Not that it would even work on Neosphere if it could."

"Who needs to use his effect?" asked Ben. "Silverwind, attack Darkness Neosphere!"

Silverwind flew at the demon, his katana poised to strike…

_He must be mad… _thought Drago.

Silverwind struck Neosphere hard, and the Fiend took a step backwards…

"I don't know how you or your Monster managed to survive…" said Drago, "but… Huh?"

To his utter disbelief, Silverwind had dealt Neosphere a terrible wound. It was bleeding black blood from a gash across its chest.

Neosphere clutched the wound, and the eyes on its face finally opened… Then they rolled back into its head… It teetered for a few seconds…

Then, in an explosion that could be seen for blocks, Darkness Neosphere was vanquished.

"HOW?" screamed Drago.

Ben held up a card.

"I simply removed this guy from play before I made the attack," said Ben. "I discarded him when I used Hand Destruction… Blackwing – Boreas the Sharp. Due to his effect, I took no Battle Damage, and Silverwind wasn't destroyed."

He pocketed the card.

"However, Neosphere wasn't so lucky. And good riddance."

The flames died down, and the smell of brimstone vanished.

"I set one card facedown, and end my turn…"

A set card appeared in his Spell Zone.

Drago clenched his fist in pure rage. He drew a card.

_Hmm… _he thought. _I can still win this…_

"I sacrifice Slate Warrior…" he said.

Slate Warrior vanished.

"…to summon the Master of Hate!"

He called it the Master of Hate, but it looked like Dark King of the Abyss to Ben. It had the same skull-like face, same black robes, and the same long claws. (1,800 ATK)

"I end my turn…"

Ben eyed the Monster suspiciously as he made a draw.

_He sacrificed a Monster to summon a weaker one? _he thought. _Something bad is gonna happen when I destroy that Monster…_

He looked at the card he had drawn.

_So I gotta end this duel right now…_

His facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he shouted.

Gale the Whirlwind reappeared, in a blast of wind. (1,300 ATK)

"Gale, do your thing!"

Master of Hate staggered under Gale's buffeting winds. (900 ATK)

"Hold on…" said Drago.

"Now, I sacrifice Gale…" said Ben.

Gale vanished into an orb of darkness.

"…for Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn!"

In a flash, a larger Blackwing with perhaps the most basic shape for the whole team appeared in Gale's place. (2,000 ATK)

"Next, I use Sirocco's effect," said Ben. "For this round, he gains the Attack Points of all other Blackwings on the field."

(4,800 ATK)

"Of course, he's the only one who can attack… But it will be enough…

"Destroy the Master of Hate! Dark Wing Slash!"

Drago grit his teeth as the Blackwing swooped upon the Fiend…

But as the attack hit home, there was an explosion that threw both duelists backwards…

**(B: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 0)**

_Huh? _thought Ben, as he rubbed his head. _Why did both our Life Points fall to zero?_

He got up. Drago was gone. He had dropped his Duel Disk, and the cards were scattered on the ground.

Ben got up, and saw the Master of Hate card. He picked it up and looked at it.

_That sneaky… _he thought. _Just like Chthonian Solider, with Newdoria's effect added in. He clearly didn't expect me to hit him so hard._

_Ah, well… Guess it was a draw… Still, I wonder why he didn't stick around…_

Then he was shocked as six D-Wheels sped into the plaza. Dugan, Nichole, and Karl were on three of them, but Ben didn't recognize the others.

"Step away from those cards!" ordered one of the others.

"Ben!" shouted Dugan, dismounting his D-Wheel. "You were dueling that guy?"

"Uh, yes…" said Ben, in surprise. "What…"

Nichole rushed over to the cards, and started looking through them.

"They're all here, chief," she said. "He had Neosphere, Destroyer, and Outsider."

"Ben…" said Dugan. "Did you get this guy's name?"

"Yeah, yeah…" said Ben. "It was Drago Uccisore."

"Good lord," said Karl. "I knew he was acting weird, but he didn't strike me as crazy."

Dugan hit a button on his mobile.

"We've secured the deck, boss," he said, "and the guy's opponent is unharmed. This appears to be the work of a copycat.

"No, the perpetrator fled, but we know who he is… We'll start searching the city…

"Yes, okay…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Drago was in an alley five blocks away catching his breath. The final blow from the duel had knocked some sense into his head.

"Stupid, stupid, _stupid! _Stupid of me!" he cursed. "What did your mother tell you about taking candy from strangers, Drago? Abyssal fruit? It was likely raised by demons…"

"I could have told you that…" said a voice.

The voice was not in English, but in Drago's native language, Italian. And he recognized the voice only too well. Fear crept into him as he slowly turned around…

"Mr. Fanciullo!" he gasped.

It was indeed the European crimelord Cattivo Fanciullo, and despite his childlike appearance, he looked more intimidating than ever. To either side of him were two other members of his inner circle. To his right was Tormento Amare, his interrogator. Tormento was a big man who looked obese, but was actually all muscle. He had long, black hair, a long nose, and sharp teeth. To Fanciullo's left was Picchiare Uomo, his top assassin. Wearing a trenchcoat, fedora, gloves, bandages over his face, and dark glasses, he looked like the Invisible Man. Some rumors said that he actually was invisible under those wrappings, but they were not taken seriously.

Drago knew both Tormento and Picchiare as colleges and partners most days… He had a feeling that today would not be one of those days…

"Yes, you remember me…" said Fanciullo, who was clearly very angry. "The guy who signs your paycheck? So, you want to live forever, do you? Well, you're gonna wish you were never born…"

"Mr. Fanciullo, I can explain…" said Drago, as he fell to his knees.

"Using cards that the Shadowchasers' public enemy number one used?" shouted Fanciullo. "Why not just go up to their front door and _ask _to be arrested? It would have been easier…"

"Well, you see…" stammered Drago.

"Zip your lip, Drago," said Fanciullo. "They're scouring the city looking for you… But we'll discuss this _very _thoroughly when we get back to my office. Tormento, Picchiare… Bring him."

"You heard the boss, Drago," said Picchiare, as he and Tormento grabbed hold of him. "On your feet."

Fanciullo waved his hand, and a portal opened. He walked through, and his henchmen followed, Tormento and Picchiare half-dragging Drago who was right now seriously starting to doubt his future standing…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Tiberius and Lorelei watched as the Shadowchasers sped away from Buckingham Fountain to begin their manhunt.

"My dear…" said Tiberius, turning to Lorelei. "That's our cue…"

The two of them walked out of the room.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MASTER OF HATE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed by battle by your opponent's attacking Monster and sent to the Graveyard, inflict Battle Damage upon both players, and destroy one Monster your opponent controls.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Karl: Our manhunt for Drago takes a dangerous turn, as I meet up with the sinister cambion Lorelei and get roped into a Turbo Duel. With Monsters that aren't subtle in the least, she wields one of the most powerful of the Dark Forge cards yet, and it's all I can do to defend myself. **_

_**Have I finally met something that can break through the Ice Barrier?**_

"_**Hell's Highway; The Infernal Machines" is coming soon. **_


	38. Hell's Highway, The Infernal Machines

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Hell's Highway**

**The Infernal Machines**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Not knowing that Drago was out of Chicago and indeed out of the country, the Chicago Shadowchasers and the emergency squad that Jalal had sent was searching the city on their D-Wheels, intent on bringing the criminal in.

Karl was driving along Oakwood Boulevard at the moment.

He hit the communicator.

"No sign of Drago at the moment," he said. "But someone like him can't hide forever…"

As he said this, Lorelei drove up beside him on a sleek, black D-Wheel that was obviously expensive. Karl saw nothing amiss…

…until her demonic wings sprouted from her back…

"What in the world…" he said.

"Hiya, Karl!" she said, lifting the visor of her helmet. "How are those knife wounds in the back healing up?"

"You know about that?" asked Karl.

"Sure!" said Lorelei. "After all, I'm the one who gave Larry that card!

"I was gonna use it myself, but… Well, sneaking up behind someone and stabbing him in the back was never really my style… I don't like catching folks by surprise. I much prefer to take someone head-on…

"Doesn't matter whether he's a lover or an enemy, you have to hit him hard, and make sure he sees it coming!

"At least when it comes time to actually strike… Before then, deception has a few uses…"

Karl glared at her. He looked her over.

_A cambion, _he thought. _And I'm guessing her mom was a succubus…_

"Look, Delilah…" he said.

Lorelei laughed out loud.

"Comparing me to Delilah?" she laughed. "That's an insult. She was just a common prostitute. I'm a _much _better tempter than she could have ever been.

"You want me to seduce a man so I can betray him, sure, I can do it… But I'm gonna want more than just cash for it, and I'm gonna want to be paid up front.

"The only person more pathetic than Delilah in that story was Samson, because he fell for it."

"Whatever!" shouted Karl, getting angry. "As much as I'd love to beat you into the ground and take you in, I don't have time. I'm under orders from Jalal Stormbringer himself to find a dangerous criminal."

"Drago?" laughed Lorelei. "You think that flunky is more dangerous than I am? That's another insult.

"I'll give it to you straight Karl… I gave Drago the cards he used too. And by the way, if you want to use that statement in court when you manage to bring me in, be my guest."

"Wait a minute…" said Karl. "The cult of Tharizdun is behind this too?"

"Uh huh…" said Lorelei.

Karl watched as the turnoff for Lakeshore Drive came up.

"Of course," he said. "It makes sense… If Darkness ever gained enough power to come back to Earth and start his invasion again, Tharizdun would just love it… All the insanity and despair it would cause…"

The two served onto the exit to Lakeshore Drive South.

"Okay, fine… You think you're a better tempter than Delilah, you think you're some dangerous half-demon… Well I think you're full of hot air.

"If you came here to challenge me, consider your challenge accepted!"

"I thought you'd never ask!" laughed Lorelei.

"Activating Speed World 2!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

"_Duel mode engaged," _flashed a message on their screens. _"Plotting course for cross-town racetrack… Awaiting approval from central grid…_

"_Approval granted…"_

Lake Shore Drive started to transform. The barriers sprang into place, and the duel lane quickly formed. Warning lights started to flash.

"_Turbo Duel underway," _said a voice on a loudspeaker, as the two duelists swerved onto the special lane. _"All traffic must vacate dueling lane." _

The two D-Wheelers swerved onto the special dueling lane. The Life Point gauges and the Speed Counters were set.

**(Karl: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Lorelei: 8,000, SPC: 0)**

"Karl!" said Dugan's voice over the communicator. "You're Turbo Dueling? Did you find Drago?"

"Better," replied Karl, as he made his first draw. "I found the person who supplied him with the cards. It seems that the cult of Tharizdun was behind this for some reason. I'll handle her."

"Affirmative," said Dugan. "You do that, we'll keep looking for Drago."

"You Shadowchasers have a tendency to count your chickens before they hatch," said Lorelei. "You do that, you get scrambled eggs."

"_She's right, Karl," _said Sal. _"If this woman gave Hook the Hidden Knight to Larry and Darkness' cards to Drago, then there's no telling what dangerous cards she herself might have._

"_I have data about all sorts of Dark Cards in my hard drive. There was a big deal about one called Blood Mefist a while back that actually killed someone."_

"I'm trying hard not to think about it," said Karl.

He set a card on his dashboard, and a set Monster appeared in front of his bike before fading from view.

"I end my turn, demon-girl," he said.

"Call me Lorelei," replied Lorelei, as she made a draw.

"Defending, huh? You forget what I said my style was when facing someone… Hit him hard, and make sure he sees it coming!"

She played a card.

"And my Assault Wheel is gonna drive that point home!"

A portal opened next to her, and a Machine-Type Monster drove out beside her D-Wheel. It was a robot mounted on one large wheel, wearing maroon armor, with rocket launchers on its shoulders and a rifle in each hand. (2,300 ATK)

"Holy…" said Karl.

"It not only has 2,300 Attack Points," said Lorelei, "but it has a trampling effect to boot!

"Attack his Monster! Shock rocket attack!"

Assault Wheel fired a volley of rockets from its shoulder launchers, obliterating Blizzed, Defender of the Ice Barrier. Karl hung on as his D-Wheel shook, and skidded for about fifty feet before he regained control.

"You may have hurt me," he finally said, "but due to Blizzed's effect, I get to make one draw…"

He drew a card.

"And because you attacked with that thing, its Attack Score falls all the way to zero until your next Standby Phase. I hope it was worth it."

Lorelei looked at her Monster as its Attack Score plummeted. (0 ATK)

"Worth it?" she said. "Mmm, perhaps… I end my turn…"

Karl made a draw. He looked at the seven cards on his gauntlet.

**(K: 6,200, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 8,000, SPC: 2)**

_She left that thing totally defenseless, _he thought. _She'll certainly see this coming…_

"I summon Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier!"

A portal opened next to him, and the ascetic monk in furs flew out beside his bike. (1,500 ATK)

_Pilgrim will be perfectly safe even if she has another Assault Wheel, _he thought.

"Attack!" he shouted.

Pilgrim flew at the mad Machine, and delivered a powerful karate chop. Assault Wheel swerved and fell over, and then exploded into debris.

"Ergh…" grunted Lorelei.

"I end my turn…" said Karl.

Lorelei made a draw.

**(K: 6,200, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,500, SPC: 3)**

She looked at the Trap Card, and then stashed it with her other cards.

_I'll save that one for later, _she thought.

She set a card on her dashboard, and a hidden Monster appeared.

_Looks like she's keeping a few parts of her strategy hidden after all, _thought Karl.

"Your move, Shadowchaser," said Lorelei.

Karl drew a card, as both Counters clicked up to 4.

"I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

With a chilling wind, Samurai leapt onto the racetrack in front of Karl's bike. (1,800 ATK)

The two residents of the Ice Barrier turned to each other and nodded.

"Attack her Monster!" exclaimed Karl. "Shivering slash!"

Samurai leapt at the hidden Monster…

But his sword hit it with a clang. The Monster that appeared was a Machine that looked like an old car engine mounted on two steel buckler shields. (1,800 DEF)

"Seems my Motor Shell was a little too tough for your Samurai to crack," said Lorelei.

"In that case," said Karl, "My turn is over…"

Lorelei made a draw. She smirked, and put the card with the others.

"I sacrifice my Motor Shell…" she said.

The Machine vanished.

"…for something even better… I summon Motor Violence!"

There was a roar of engines and a spout of exhaust as a large robot sped onto the field. It looked like it had once been a car that had been rebuilt into some demented robot. Its arms ended in two machine guns rather than hands. (2,100 ATK)

"This is the part I've been waiting for!" laughed Lorelei. "Eat lead, Pilgrim!"

Motor Violence fired multiple rounds from the barrels of its guns. Pilgrim grunted and shielded himself… He was clearly hurt, but he didn't shatter.

"My Pilgrim survived…" growled Karl. "He can't be destroyed by Monsters that have 1,900 Attack Points or more, even if they _are _packing heat."

"Well, that sucks," said Lorelei, as she took two cards from her hand.

She set them, and two cards appeared set in her Spell Zone.

"Make your move…" she said.

Karl drew a card.

_That's the ticket… _he thought.

**(K: 5,600, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,500, SPC: 6)**

"I play Speed Spell – Angel Baton!" he exclaimed, as a Spell Card appeared in front of him.

"I draw two cards…"

He made two draws.

"…then discard one."

He slipped General Raiho of the Ice Barrier into his discard slot.

"Then I sacrifice both my Monsters…" he continued.

Samurai and Pilgrim turned into a sphere of freezing energy.

"Come forth, General Gantala of the Ice Barrier!"

The sphere exploded, and the mighty general stood in front of Karl's D-Wheel. He glared at Lorelei. (2,700 ATK)

"Well, what do you know," said the cambion. "It's Mr. Clean's long-lost brother."

Both Karl and Gantala looked at her with angry expressions.

"I'll show you…" said Karl. "General… Show that robot some _real _violence! Attack with shattering strike!"

Gantala leapt at Motor Violence, and hit it hard with his fist. The Machine was thrown backwards, and its fuel tank ruptured, causing it to explode and burst into flames as Lorelei sped past it.

"Not bad," said Lorelei, "but now I get to use Motor Violence's effect… When it gets junked, I get to bring out some other junk… Specifically, I get two Motor Parts Tokens."

Two small Tokens appeared in front of Lorelei. One of them looked like a busted muffler, while the other looked like a leaking car battery. (0 ATK x2)

Karl looked at them nervously.

"I move to the End Phase of my turn…" he said, "which means that I can use Gantala's effect to Special Summon an Ice Barrier Monster from my Graveyard."

General Raiho appeared next to Gantala, shielding himself in Defense Mode. (2,300 DEF)

_With two of my Generals on the field, _he thought, _I can take this duel by storm._

"I draw!" said Lorelei, as she whipped a card off of her deck.

"And here's where the fun starts!"

**(K: 5,600, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,900, SPC: 7)**

"First, I can use the effect of Speed World 2, and spend all of my Counters to draw one card."

She fell behind Karl, and made another draw.

"Then I sacrifice both my Motor Parts Tokens…"

The two pieces of junk vanished, and an ominous dark portal opened… A very noisy engine roared to life…

"Come on out, Fiendish Engine Ω!" she shouted.

An even bigger robot than Motor Violence sped out of the portal. It seemed to combine the worst aspects of mecha, car, and demon, with blades on its hands, and smoke spewing out of several exhaust pipes as it skid along the highway. (2,800 ATK)

"Good lord…" said Karl.

"It's only going to get worse," said Lorelei, as her facedown card spun around. "I spend 1,000 Life Points to activate The Wand of Haagenti!"

"A Dark Forge card!" exclaimed Karl.

"That's right!" replied Lorelei. "And I'll Equip it to my Fiendish Engine Ω."

A large rod with a golden snake coiled around the shaft and a skull on the top appeared in the large Machine's hands.

"Now, let me explain how this Equip works," continued Lorelei. "I name one Attribute, and for as long as this Trap is Equipped to my Fiendish Engine Ω, Monsters of that Attribute can't use their effects unless they can match my Monster's Level."

"No way!" shouted Karl.

"Yes way!" said Lorelei, rolling her eyes. "I naturally name Water. And that's not the only effect this card has. My Monster also gains 200 Attack Points for every Monster of the declared Attribute in your Graveyard.

"You have three of them there, I believe, Blizzed, Pilgrim, and Samurai."

(3,400 ATK)

"And that number is about to become four. Attack General Gantala! Maximum overdrive!"

Fiendish Engine Ω sped at Gantala, leaving a trail of exhaust in its wake. The General grunted as it socked him in the gut, and he shattered.

As the Machine's Attack Points rose to 3,600, Lorelei took a card from her hand, and set it on her dash. A facedown card appeared in front of her.

"I end my turn," she said, "which means that the effect of my Fiendish Engine activates, and I get an Engine Token."

Once again, a busted car part appeared floating in the air in front of her D-Wheel. (200 ATK)

"My move…" growled Karl, as he drew a card.

**(K: 4,900, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,900, SPC: 1)**

_If I wait one more turn, I can use the effect of Speed World 2 to destroy that monstrosity, _he thought.

He looked at his hand.

_But Lorelei likely knows that… And Fiendish Engine Ω has another effect… She can boost its Attack Score by 1,000 if she destroys it at the end of the turn…_

_What if that facedown card is something that will break through my defenses, like Meteorain?_

"I also use the effect of Speed World 2," he said.

His Counters fell down to 1, and he made one draw.

His face lit up.

_Dust Tornado? _he thought. _How lucky can you get?_

He quickly set it and a Monster card, and both of them appeared briefly in front of them before fading from view.

"I end my turn," he said.

Lorelei chuckled as she made a draw.

"Ah," she said. "The wind in my face, a Shadowchaser at my heels, and the smell of carnage in the air… This is the life…"

_Keep it up, you psycho, _thought Karl. _You're gonna be a riot in the criminally insane section of the prison…_

"I sacrifice my Token," said Lorelei, as the busted auto part vanished.

"For Motor Kaiser!"

A new Machine appeared that seemed to be cut from the same cloth as the others. It looked like a smaller version of Motor Violence, with metal claws for hands instead of guns. (2,000 ATK)

"And now, my Fiendish Engine attacks your other General!"

The infernal Machine dashed towards Raiho.

"Maybe so," shouted Karl. "But I'm trimming its claws. Go, Dust Tornado!"

His Trap Card spun around.

"I'm using it to blow that Dark Forge card away!"

"Oh really?" said Lorelei, with a smile.

Then _her _Trap Card lifted up.

"A Counter Trap!" exclaimed Karl.

"Dark Bribe," said Lorelei. "You draw one card, but your Tornado is quelled."

Karl's Trap shattered into bits. He made a curse and drew a card.

Fiendish Engine Ω made a slash, and cut Raiho in half. Its Attack Score rose to 3,800.

"Now my Kaiser attacks your other Monster," continued Lorelei. "Flesh shedder!"

Motor Kaiser closed in on the facedown card, and Dewdark of the Ice Barrier appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. The name of the attack was very accurate. It literally ripped him in two.

Lorelei chuckled as Fiendish Engine's Attack Score went up another notch, to 4,000.

"I'll set two more cards, and that will do it for now…"

Two more set cards appeared, and another Engine Token appeared between the two Machines. (200 ATK)

Karl made a draw.

_Double Martyrdom… _he thought.

"First thing I'm going to do," he said, "is remove Dewdark from play to Special Summon Aqua Spirit in Defense Mode."

Aqua Spirit appeared, crouching and crossing her arms. (1,200 DEF)

"And since I removed Dewdark from play, that means one less Water Monster in my Graveyard for your Fiendish Engine to draw power from."

(3,800 ATK)

"_Karl," _said Sal, _"I think I know what you're about to try, and it's risky."_

"I know, Sal," said Karl, "but while this chick may be nuts, she isn't stupid.

"One of those facedown cards will likely foil any attempt to destroy Fiendish Engine Ω with an effect… Most likely Destruction Jammer.

"And seeing as there's no telling when I'll draw Sakuretsu Armor anyway, we don't have many options."

He chose another card.

"I summon Geisha of the Ice Barrier!"

Geisha appeared, spreading open her fans in a graceful pose. (1,500 ATK)

"Eh?" said Lorelei. "Attack Mode?"

"Not only that," said Karl, "she's attacking. Attack the Engine Token!"

Geisha hurled her fan like a spinning blade, slicing the small Token into two pieces.

"ARGH!" shouted Lorelei.

"I'll set three cards facedown, and end my turn," said Karl.

Three set cards appeared, one to his left, one to his right, and one in the front. They faded from sight.

"Ooh, you'll pay for that," said Lorelei, as she made a draw.

**(K: 4,900, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,600, SPC: 4)**

_He thinks he can scare me by setting three cards… _she thought.

She looked at her Spell Zone. Karl had been correct to assume that one of _her _set cards was Destruction Jammer.

_No stupid Shadowchaser is going to make a fool out of me…_

"I summon Cannon Wheel!" she shouted.

The portal opened again, and a Monster similar to Assault Wheel sped out. It had a metal-treaded wheel and blasters mounted on its hubs. (500 ATK)

"First, my Motor Kaiser is gonna take care of that Spirit. Attack!"

Motor Kaiser sped towards Aqua Spirit, literally running her over.

"And now that she's gone, my Fiendish Engine is back up to 4,000," she continued, "just in time to turn that Geisha of yours into roadkill!"

Geisha simply glared defiantly at the huge Machine as it sped towards her. It didn't seem to help… One slash from its blades, and she was cut in half.

Karl's D-Wheel shook, and spun around once. He skidded a little before regaining control…

**(K: 2,500, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,600, SPC: 4)**

"I activate…" he shouted, "Double Martyrdom!"

One of his facedown cards spun around, revealing a Trap Card that Lorelei had never even heard of.

"Huh?" said Lorelei. "Double Martyrdom? What's that?"

"It's when two followers of the same religion willingly suffer or die for the same cause," replied Karl. "Usually for refusing to renounce their beliefs. I doubt that any true followers of Tharizdun know anything about the concept.

"But in this case, two Monsters die in order to help the others. This Trap works as follows. I send a Monster from my hand to the Graveyard that has the same Attribute as the one you just destroyed…"

He discarded Geomancer of the Ice Barrier.

"Then I choose one card on the field, and so long as those two Monsters are in my Graveyard, that card's effect doesn't function.

"I choose… The Wand of Haagenti!"

Lorelei gasped as the Equip Trap turned slate grey, and Fiendish Engine Ω's Attack Score fell to its base Score of 2,800.

"Oh, I'm _really _mad now!" shouted Lorelei. "Cannon Wheel, attack him directly!"

Cannon Wheel fired its blasters, the blasts hitting the back of Karl's D-Wheel.

"Next," she said, as one of her facedown cards spun around, "I activate Level Retuner. I'll lower Motor Kaiser's Level from 5 to 4.

"Then, I Tune my Level 2 Cannon Wheel with my Level 4 Motor Kaiser…"

The two Machines turned into a cluster of stars that flew into the sky over Lake Shore Drive.

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"Synchro Summon… Combat Wheel!" 

With a crash, a Machine just as large as Fiendish Engine Ω landed in front of Lorelei. It was the same basic idea as Assault Wheel, but it was heavily armored, like a big, one-wheeled tank, with a helmeted robot's head, and guns and cannons all over. (2,500 ATK)

"And I'm not done!" said Lorelei. "Since I used Cannon Wheel as the Tuner to summon this guy, it can dish out 500 more points of damage!"

Combat Wheel fired its guns, striking Karl again. He groaned.

"I end my turn…"

Once again, an Engine Token appeared in front of her. (200 ATK)

Karl slowly drew a card.

_I may have put that Wand out of commission, _he thought, _but I'm not out of the woods yet. _

**(K: 1,500, SPC: 5) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 3,600, SPC: 5)**

He quickly took a card, and set it on his Disk. A new facedown card appeared with his other two.

He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn.

"No Monsters left, huh?" asked Lorelei, as she drew a card. "Kind of a shame… I was having fun smashing them…

"Fiendish Engine Ω, end this!"

The infernal contraption sped towards Karl…

"I activate… Limit Reverse!" shouted Karl, as one of his Trap Cards spun around. "I'll summon Blizzed back to the field."

Blizzed flew out of the Trap Card with a screech. (300 ATK)

"Your little bird only has 300 Attack Points," growled Lorelei. "My Monster can slice and dice it!"

"No it can't, because I have this," said Karl.

Another of his Trap Cards spun around.

"Protective Spirit of the Ice Barrier. By removing from play a powerful Ice Barrier Monster in my Graveyard, I can negate your attacks against a weak one on the field this turn.

"So, I'll remove General Raiho from play, and both Blizzed and my Life Points are safe."

Fiendish Engine tried to strike Blizzed, but a phantom form of Raiho appeared, and then turned into a glowing dome. The Machine's blades bounced off.

Lorelei threw a card on her dash, and a new set card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"You may have bought one turn," she said, "but this duel isn't going to last much longer."

"I agree…" said Karl. "Now watch out!"

He made a draw.

"I play Speed Spell – Summon Speeder!" he exclaimed, as he played a Speed Spell. "I'll Special Summon Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier."

In a flash of light, the mysterious guard holding twin katana blades flew out of the portal. (100 ATK)

"Now that I've done that, I can use the effect of Speed World 2 to draw another card…"

His bike decelerated, and he made one draw.

_Good! _he thought.

"Now, I summon the Tuner Monster, Hyper Synchron!"

The Monster that appeared this time was clearly no resident of the Ice Barrier. It was a short, stocky robot, with blue and yellow armor, and thick pipes on its back. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, I Tune all three of my Monsters together…"

A hatch on Hyper Synchron's chest opened, revealing a glowing orb inside. Then it, Blizzed, and Secret Guards flew into the sky…

"_Prince regent of the icy tundra, mighty enforcer of the higher powers while possessing power in your own right... Clustering stars combine to defend the Ice Barrier once more!"_

**(*4 + *1 * *2 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

With a loud roar, Gungnir flew over the highway, soaring above Karl's D-Wheel. (2,500 ATK)

"And because I used Hyper Synchron to summon him," continued Karl, "he gains 800 Attack Points!"

(3,300 ATK)

"You do realize that it also means Gungnir will go bye-bye when your turn ends, right?" asked Lorelei.

Karl stopped short.

_She's right… _he thought.

He looked at the last card in his hand, the one he had drawn with Speed World 2's effect.

_And the only card left for me to discard is Call of the Haunted… If I use Gungnir's effect, I'll be completely defenseless next round. But if I keep it, I can use it to summon Gantala…_

_I'm just going to have to attack. _

"Attack her Combat Wheel!" shouted Karl. "Polar blast!"

Gungnir roared, and prepared to fire its chilling blast…

"Sorry to cut this short…" said Lorelei.

She discarded a card in her hand, Speed Spell – The End of Storm.

"But because you declared an attack, I can activate the effect of my Combat Wheel! It gains Attack Points equal to half the Attack Points of all other Monsters on the field, and becomes the only Monster you're allowed to attack!"

(4,100 ATK)

"I thought you didn't like attacks that your opponent didn't see coming," said Karl.

"Doesn't mean I don't know how to use them," said Lorelei, with an evil smile.

"Well, I have news for you," said Karl, as his last facedown card spun around, "I _definitely _saw _that _one coming. I knew all about that thing's effect."

"Synchro Strike?" gasped Lorelei.

"That's right!" replied Karl. "Now my Monster gains 500 Attack Points for each Monster I Tuned to summon it!"

(4,800 ATK)

"Gungnir, take it down!"

The Dragon blasted its bolt of pure cold, and Combat Wheel exploded into flaming rubble. Lorelei screamed as fiery debris showered onto her.

"And because you used its effect and it was destroyed anyway," continued Karl, "your other Monsters bite the dust too."

Fiendish Engine Ω's core ruptured and it exploded from within, lighting up the highway with a tremendous blast. The two Tokens were turned to dust.

**(K: 1,500, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 2,900, SPC: 7)**

"You may have seen _that _one coming," said Lorelei with a scowl, "but did you see _this _one?"

One of her facedown cards spun around, the one she had set on her last turn.

"Chthonian Blast?" gasped Karl.

"I see you've heard of it," replied Lorelei. "Because my Monster was destroyed, I get to destroy the Monster on the field with the lowest Attack Score…

"And then we both take damage equal to half its Attack Score…

"I told you'd I'd end this duel…"

Gungnir screamed….

And then an explosion erupted over the whole field, obliterating the Dragon and engulfing both D-Wheelers.

**(K: 0, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 500, SPC: 7)**

Karl had been knocked off of his D-Wheel, and steam was pouring from its engine.

"I… I lost…" he said.

Lorelei drove up beside him.

"Thanks, Shadowchaser, that was fun," she said. "Not the way I would have liked to end it, but still fun. Let's do it again sometime.

"Nine east of TRUE."

And then she sped off, laughing.

"That's it?" said Karl. "She let me live? No penalty game? No evil curse?"

"_Karl, I don't think that was a Shadow Duel at all," _said Sal. _"The only dark magic I detected was the energy coming from that Dark Forge card."_

"Weird…" said Karl.

He sat up.

"Nine east of TRUE?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In her cluttered workshop, Madame Xane looked at three cauldrons full of bubbling, dark blue liquid that were simmering over low fires. Occasionally she stirred the contents.

These concoctions would eventually be made into the three dark homunculi that Tiberius wanted. Homunculi were creatures that served spellcasters, similar to familiars, but were not spirits. Rather, they were constructs created by alchemy.

A dark homunculus also served a spellcaster, in a unique way. The spellcaster would give the dark homunculus to a servant or minion, and for the dark homunculus' brief lifespan, the servant using it would gain enhanced abilities as a proxy of the spellcaster. More or less, a dark homunculus allowed almost anyone to become a conduit for someone who could cast spells.

Creating a homunculus was a process that tended to vary by type, but it always required one important ingredient – tissue donated from the spellcaster that it was made to serve. (Blood was most commonly used.) Dark homunculi were no different, and this important ingredient would be added last, right before Xane cast the spell which would cause the chemicals to take shape.

Xane went to the cauldron that contained the mixture that would be made into Lorelei's homunculus.

Then she picked up a dish containing several small objects that looked like black gumballs. She tipped the dish, dropping them into the mixture.

She stirred, and the mixture turned red. Eerie smoke came out of it, and it bubbled more intently.

Then the smoke stopped, it returned to its previous color, and started bubbling at the previous rate.

"There…" she said, "a special ingredient to give that one a little something extra…"

After all, Madame Xane had her own agenda, which she would reveal when the time was right…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ASSAULT WHEEL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **When this card attacks a Defense Position monster with a DEF lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.At the end of the Battle Phase when this card attacks, reduce the ATK of this card to zero until your next Standby Phase.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CANNON WHEEL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 500

**Card Description: **When this card is sent to the Graveyard for a Synchro Summon, inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**COMBAT WHEEL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

During your opponent's Battle Phase, you may discard 1 card from your hand to activate this card's effect. The ATK of this card is increased by half the combined ATK of all other face-up Monsters you control, and your opponent cannot attack any Monster you control except this one. This effect lasts until the End Phase of your turn and if this card is destroyed before then, all other Monsters you control are destroyed.

_Note: The three Wheel Monsters were used by Syd in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Syd is Vicious". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MOTOR SHELL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,300  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 "Motor Parts Token" (Machine-Type/Dark/Level 1/0 ATK/0 DEF) in Attack Position to your side of the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MOTOR KAISER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 2,000  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Flavor Text: **_Originally nothing more than an old car, this device was exposed to the corrupt magic of Dark World. It is now a ruthless killing machine._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MOTOR VIOLENCE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,100  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 2 "Motor Parts Tokens" (Machine-Type/Dark/Level 1/0 ATK/0 DEF) in Attack Position to your side of the field.

_Note: "Motor Shell", "Motor Kaiser", and "Motor Violence" were first used by Keith in the "Yu-Gi-Oh R" Manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – WAND OF HAAGENTI (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A demon with a white bull's head dressed in a wizard's robe, holding a long rod tipped with a skull with a golden snake coiled around it.

**Card Description: **Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. When this card is activated, it is treated as an Equip Spell that Equips to a DARK Monster you control. Name 1 Attribute when this card is activated. The effects of Monsters of the named Attribute that are a lower Level than the Equipped Monster are negated, and the Equipped Monster gains 200 Attack Points for each Monster of the declared Attribute in your opponent's Graveyard. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DOUBLE MARTYRDOM (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Marie the Fallen One carrying a wounded Nurse Reficule the Fallen One up a hill where The Forgiving Maiden is waiting at the top.

**Card Description: **Activate when a Monster you control is destroyed in battle and you take damage. Discard 1 Monster of the same Attribute from your hand and select 1 card on the field. So long as the destroyed Monster and the discarded Monster are in your Graveyard, the effect(s) of the selected card are negated.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PROTECTIVE SPIRIT OF THE ICE BARRIER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Geomancer of the Ice Barrier walking through a spooky mist as the phantom image of Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier watches her.

**Card Description: **Select 1 Level 4 or lower "Ice Barrier" Monster you control, and remove from play 1 Level 6 or higher "Ice Barrier" Monster in your Graveyard. This turn, the selected Monster cannot be destroyed by battle, and you take no Battle Damage from battles involving the selected Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: I meet up with Tiberius again while our dragnet is still on, and it seems he's nowhere near as nice as he was before. My D-Wheel's system has been overridden, and I'm forced into a Turbo Duel that I didn't agree to. He's in serious trouble if I apprehend him… Only the Duel Chasers licensed by the police department have this authority. **_

_**Only problem is, I have no idea if I **_**can **_**apprehend him. And why would he take such a risk? We had no proof that he was up to no good before, but now… It doesn't make sense. **_

"_**Dark Enticement; Invitation Engraved in Stone" is coming soon. **_


	39. Invitation Engraved in Stone

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL THIRTY-NINE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Dark Enticement**

**Invitation Engraved in Stone**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, as Karl's duel with Lorelei was underway, in the actual TRUE Building, Hape was working out doing bench presses in the exercise room. And he was not having a good time. Someone was annoying him to no end.

"For the third time, Panik, NO!" he shouted.

"Give me one good reason why you won't," said Panik, who had been pestering him for the past twenty minutes.

"I'll give you _two _good reasons…" said Hape.

He grunted as he lifted the bar for the fiftieth time.

"The first reason is, I hate you."

He slowly lowered the bar, and then sat up.

"And the second reason is…"

He grabbed a towel.

"…trusting _you_ with Dark Cards is like trusting a match with dynamite. The only reason I gave you that Crown of Azael card was because Tiberius wanted you to use it.

"Speaking of which, that's a third reason. I do what the Doomdreamers tell me to do. If they say it's all right, then I'll gladly do it. So go ask them."

Panik looked a little nervous.

"I… I can't…" said the usually intimidating henchman. "Lareth is lending me his power tomorrow… I can't ask them for more…

"That's why I need the cards, Hape! If I mess up again… If I make Lareth angry…"

Hape chuckled as he wiped his brow.

"So it's come down to this…" he said. "The most infamous Eliminator of Duelist Kingdom, a guy who once went up against the King of Games, Panik the Player Killer, has finally found someone that scares even him!"

"Now you listen here!" shouted Panik. "I'm not afraid of anybody!"

"And you're a lousy liar…" said Hape, chuckling again.

"Not that I blame you… You'd have to be pretty dumb _not _to be scared of Lareth… I've seen what happened to the poor saps that Tiberius hired to spar with him…"

He looked at Panik, and then let out a sigh.

"You're gonna drive me crazy until I do it, aren't you?" he asked. "Well, fine… Four cards only, however."

"Only four?" asked Panik.

"You want me to change my mind?" asked Hape. "Take it or leave it. Give me four, or get lost."

Panik frowned. He took a deck of cards out of his coat, and chose four Monster Cards from them. Hape took them and looked at them: Ally of Justice Garadholg, Ally of Justice Rudra, Ally of Justice Nullifier, and Ally of Justice Thunder Armor.

He put them inside his shirt, and held them over his heart for a minute. Then he took them out and looked at them.

They had changed… Considerably.

"I hope these meet your needs," he said, as he handed them to Panik. "Just remember… Play with fire too much, you're gonna get burned."

The henchman grinned a sinister grin as he looked at them. He turned and walked out of the room.

"A 'thank you' would have been nice…" grumbled Hape, as he crossed his arms.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Nichole was driving down the Loop. A message flashed on her console.

"Nichole," said Dugan's voice. "We've got news, although I'm not sure what it means… Karl found out that the cult of Tharizdun is behind this. Be on the lookout…"

Then the message was interrupted by static.

"Dugan?" asked Nichole. "Dugan, come in!"

"We interrupt this message for an important announcement," said a familiar voice. "Look behind you, Ms. Belvins…"

Nichole glanced in her rear view mirror, and saw Tiberius, on her tail on a D-Wheel similar to Lorelei's.

"WHAT?" said Nichole. "You overrode our communications system?"

"I can do far more than that…" said Tiberius.

Then to Nichole's surprise, her D-Wheel took the turnoff to the Dan Ryan Expressway, without her taking that action. Then to her even bigger surprise, her CPU switched to duel mode.

"How in the world?" she shouted.

"A little trick we learned from a Duel Chaser's bike that we took apart," said Tiberius. "I was in the neighborhood, I was itching for a Turbo Duel…

"And I thought you'd make the ideal opponent…"

Nichole could do nothing as Speed World 2 activated on her console.

"_Duel mode," _said Nichole's computer. _"Plotting course for cross-town racetrack… Awaiting approval from central grid…_

"_Approval granted…"_

The Dan Ryan Expressway made the standard transformation, a lane isolating itself from the others, with warning lights alerting the rest of the traffic.

_This is nuts… _thought Nichole. _We had nothing on Tiberius… Absolutely nothing! But now he's blatantly committing at least three felonies that the Shadowchasers cover, along with a few that the regular police cover, including impersonating a police officer. _

_Why would he take such a risk?_

"Since it seems I have no choice…" she said, "you're on!"

"_Turbo Duel underway," _said the loudspeaker, as Nichole and Tiberius sped onto the dueling lane. _"All traffic must vacate dueling lane." _

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Nichole: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Tiberius: 8,000, SPC: 0)**

"I'll start this off…" said Tiberius, as he made a draw.

"And I summon…"

The portal opened beside him.

"Koa'ki Meiru Boulder!"

The Monster that emerged looked like a jack-o-lantern. Sure, it was made of stone, but it still had the same rough, carved face, and it looked like there was a fire (or some other source of energy) glowing inside. It had stubby limbs, and the Koa'ki Meiru symbol above its eyes. (1,200 ATK)

"I'll end my turn there," he said.

_Oh, Koa'ki Meiru Monsters are trouble… _thought Nichole, as she made a draw. _Still… Seeing as I'm using Earth Monsters, I should have an easier time…_

_At least that one doesn't seem too tough…_

"I'm bringing out Amazoness Paladin!" she shouted.

The portal opened beside her bike, and Paladin leapt out, holding her sword in both hands. (1,700 ATK)

"And Paladin here gains 100 Attack Points per Amazon on the field, including herself."

(1,800 ATK)

"Turn that Boulder to pebbles!"

"Yah!" screamed Paladin, as she brought her weapon down on the large Rock, blowing it to shards.

"Thank you…" said Tiberius. "Because when Koa'ki Meiru Boulder is destroyed by battle, I get to take either a low-Level Koa'ki Meiru Monster or an Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru from my deck."

He took a card from his deck, and put it with his others.

Nichole sighed.

_Walked right into that one… _she thought.

She threw two cards onto her console, and two set cards appeared to either side of her bike before fading from view.

"I'll end my turn with those," she said.

"Then I draw," said Tiberius, making a draw.

**(N: 8,000, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 7,400, SPC: 2)**

"I'll set a Monster," he said, "and also one other card…"

Two set cards appeared in front of him, one a Monster, and one most likely a Trap.

"And I end my turn."

Nichole lifted an eyebrow.

_He's up to something, _she thought, as she made a draw.

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman!" she shouted.

The portal opened again, and Swords Woman leapt out. (1,500 ATK) Paladin's Attack Score rose to 1,900.

"I'm guessing your Monster has a very high Defense…" she continued. "So…"

Swords Woman rushed at the Monster with her blade held high…

What came next was a bit of a surprise. The Monster that appeared was no Koa'ki Meiru. It looked like a big, stone door, with a face and arms, holding a spear. Swords Woman's blade struck it, but it didn't budge. (1,800 DEF)

"Golem Sentry?" asked Nichole. "So what's it gonna be, Koa'ki Meiru or Rocks?"

"Both!" replied Tiberius.

"Yeah?" said Nichole. "Well, you just took 300 points of damage, due to Swords Woman's effect…

"And now… Paladin, break down that door!"

Paladin rushed at Golem Sentry, and swung her sword, blowing it to pixels.

"Not bad…" said Tiberius. "I like energetic women…"

He drew a card.

"…to a point, that is…"

**(N: 8,000, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 7,100, SPC: 4)**

"I summon Koa'ki Meiru Sandman."

He played the card, and a golem of very alien design emerged. It gave the appearance of both strength and decay at the same time; sand was continually falling from it and trailing in its wake as it flew alongside Tiberius' D-Wheel. It had stout arms, disproportionately small legs, and its big head had no neck, six gem-like eyes, and a very wide mouth. The Koa'ki Meiru symbol was on its chest. (1,900 ATK)

"Not good…" said Nichole.

"You aren't kidding," said Tiberius. "Sandman, put Swords Woman to bed with atomic sandstorm!"

Sandman opened its jaws, and blew a gust of wind mixed with sand at Swords Woman. She gasped, and shattered into pixels.

"It may have cost me 400 Life Points," continued Tiberius, "but at least I got rid of her."

"Only to have another take her place," said Nichole, as one of her facedown cards spun around. "I activate Pride of Tribe!"

"I don't think so," replied Tiberius. "I use Sandman's effect.

"When you activate a Trap Card, I can sacrifice him to negate it."

Koa'ki Meiru Sandman vanished, and the Trap Card shattered.

"And now you're wide open!" laughed Nichole.

"No I'm not," said Tiberius, as his own facedown card spun around. "I activate Call of the Haunted!"

Once again, Koa'ki Meiru Sandman appeared in front of him.

"And because it's still my Battle Phase," he continued, "he gets another attack!"

Sandman lunched its atomic sandstorm again, this time at Paladin. She screamed, and then shattered into pixels.

_Man, that was pretty clever… _thought Nichole. _What have I gotten into?_

"I end my turn…" said Tiberius. "That means that, in order to keep my Koa'ki Meiru from self-destructing, I have to either discard an Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru or reveal a Rock-Type Monster in my hand…"

A card appeared in front of his bike, and then turned around. It was Gigantes.

Then it turned around again, and vanished.

Nichole paused for a minute. Then she drew a card.

_He may have a good Monster out, _she thought, _but if I'm careful, I can take it down. _

**(N: 7,900, SPC: 5) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 6,700, SPC: 5)**

She took a card from her gauntlet, and set it on her Monster Zone. A hidden Monster appeared.

"That's all for now," she said.

"Then it's my move…" said Tiberius.

He drew a card.

"I summon… Weathering Soldier!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a large, headless torso made of rock with arms and legs leapt out of the portal. (2,000 ATK)

"Next, my Sandman attacks your Monster."

The atomic sandstorm blew towards the hidden Monster. Warrior Lady of the Wasteland appeared on the card, and shattered into pieces.

"I use Warrior Lady's effect to summon a second Warrior Lady," said Nichole.

A twin of the first Warrior Lady appeared in front of her bike. (1,100 ATK)

"In that case, my Weathering Soldier attacks as well," said Tiberius. "Blow that Warrior Lady away! Wind slash attack!"

Weathering Soldier leapt at the female fighter, and delivered a punch to her stomach. She flew backwards twenty feet before shattering.

"I use _her _effect too," said Nichole.

The portal opened, and Amazoness Blowpiper emerged. (800 ATK)

"I'll set one card, and end my turn," said Tiberius, as a facedown card appeared in front of him. "That means I have to lower Weathering Soldier's Attack Score a little…"

The Rock Monster's score fell to 1,400.

"And I'll reveal this card again to keep Sandman."

Gigantes appeared again.

"Then look out!" shouted Nichole, as she made a draw.

**(N: 7,000, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 6,700, SPC: 6)**

"During my Standby Phase, I can use Blowpiper's effect," she said, "and I think I'll use it on Koa'ki Meiru Sandman!"

Blowpiper put her blowgun to her lips, and fired a dart, striking Sandman in the chest. It groaned a little, and its Attack Score fell to 1,400.

"Now I'll summon Amazoness Fighter!" she continued.

The portal opened again, and the muscular Amazon who fought with her bare hands appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"And it looks like she's ready to rumble. Fighter, take down Koa'ki Meiru Sandman!"

Fighter bull-rushed the golem, striking it hard with her shoulder. It burst into an explosion of sand.

"Now that it's out of the way," said Nichole, as her other facedown card spun around, "I can activate Queen's Pawn, and summon Amazoness Tiger to the field."

The portal opened, and the she-tiger leapt out with a roar. (1,100 ATK)

"And because I have three Amazons on the field, she gains 1,200 more Attack Points!"

(2,300 ATK)

"Okay, okay…" said Tiberius. "Nothing I can't handle…"

"Handle this!" shouted Nichole. "Tiger, put the hurt on that Weathering Soldier!"

Tiger made a great leap, knocking Weathering Soldier down and landing on it, smashing it into bits of rock. Tiberius' D-Wheel shook a little as he sped away from the rubble and Tiger raced back alongside Nichole's bike.

Blowpiper aimed her weapon again and shot another dart, this time hitting Tiberius directly. He cursed under his breath, but didn't lose his temper.

"It's your move, Tiberius," said Nichole. "Don't forget, my Tiger is the only Amazon that you're allowed to attack."

Tiberius grumbled as he made a draw.

"Then that's just what I'll have to do, Ms. Belvins," he said.

**(N: 7,000, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 4,900, SPC: 6)**

His facedown card spun around.

"I activate the Trap Card, Powerful Rebirth," he said. "With this Trap, I can Special Summon a low-Level Monster from the Graveyard, with 100 more Attack Points, and its Level increased by one."

Weathering Soldier appeared in an aura of red, burning light. (2,100 ATK)

"Then, I summon the Tuner Monster, Bro Gargoyle."

The portal opened, and a disgorging a very fiendish statue. It was made of rock, but looked like a demon, with a ram's head, a muscular torso, and goat-like legs and hooves. It held a crossbow. (500 ATK)

"Whoa," said Nichole. "Never saw _that _before."

"It's not exactly a common card," said Tiberius. "But before the meek inherit the Earth, the rich have what they need to get whatever they want!

"Now, I'll Tune my Level 3 Bro Gargoyle with my Level 5 Weathering Solider…"

The two Rocks flew into the sky above the Dan Ryan Expressway, and faded into a cluster of stars…

"_From the maddening winds of the caverns of Pandemonium, elemental forces form a creature born from stone eroded by pure insanity!"_

**(*3 + * 5 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Infernal Flail Golem!"_

"Appearing in front of his bike was another Infernal Golem; it looked like his other two, with one important difference. True to its name, in place of a right hand, it had a rocky boulder covered with foot-long spikes, forming a nasty flail-head. (2,400 ATK)

"Now, because I used Bro Gargoyle to Synchro Summon a Rock-Type Synchro," he continued, "I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

"I'm not done," continued Tiberius, as Golem Sentry appeared behind him. "By removing one Earth-Attribute Monster in my Graveyard from play…"

Golem Sentry vanished into grains of light.

"…I can Special Summon the mighty Gigantes."

The portal opened, and another demonic creature emerged. It was a Rock, but looked more like a Fiend; it was muscular, had red skin, armor, sharp teeth and one horn on its forehead. It held a large tree trunk in its hands. (1,900 ATK)

_This is bad… _thought Nichole.

"Attack that Tiger!" shouted Tiberius. "Spiked slammer!"

The Flail Golem rushed at the Beast, and hit it hard with its weapon. Tiger roared, fell backwards, and shattered.

"One thing you should know," said Tiberius. "When Infernal Flail Golem destroys a Monster, that Monster doesn't go to the Graveyard, it goes back to your hand."

"Huh?" said Nichole.

It was true. Tiger was back among the cards she hadn't played yet.

"So it's going to be hard to summon it again with a high score," continued Tiberius, "especially once Gigantes is done with your Blowpiper."

Gigantes closed in on Blowpiper and struck her hard with the log, knocking her back about twenty feet before she shattered. Nichole hung on as the tremor ran through her and her D-Wheel, but it didn't hurt as bad as she expected.

_Huh? _she thought. _Shouldn't this be a Shadow Duel of some sort? Not that I'm complaining, but…_

"I'll end my turn with a facedown card," said Tiberius, as another set card appeared on his side of the field. "Let's see what else you have…"

Nichole took a deep breath. She made a draw.

**(N: 5,800, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 4,900, SPC: 7)**

"I activate Speed Spell – Angel Baton!" she exclaimed, as she played the card. "I'll draw two cards…"

She made two draws.

"…then discard one…"

She quickly discarded Amazoness Acrobat.

"Next I'll use the effect of Speed World 2, and spend all of my Counters to draw again…"

She made a draw.

She smiled.

"Just what I needed…" she said.

"I sacrifice Fighter…"

Fighter turned into an orb of energy.

"…for Amazoness Queen!"

In a flourish of energy, the Queen flew onto the field, lifting her mighty scimitar high. (2,400 ATK)

"She may not be able to rival your Golem's power," said Nichole, "but when she's around, all an Amazon has to do to defeat a Monster is match it.

"Attack Infernal Flail Golem! Blade of Hippolyta!"

Infernal Flail Golem gave a look of surprise on its ugly face as Amazoness Queen rushed towards it. Then she slashed across its ample chest, and it let out a loud moan…

Then it exploded into shards of rock and slag.

"Trap Card, activate!" said Tiberius, with a scowl. "Synchro Requiem!

"Since my Synchro Monster was defeated, I get to make two draws…"

He drew two cards.

"The downside is, I have to pay 1,000 Life Points to use either of them."

"In that case…" said Nichole.

She threw three cards on her console, and three facedown cards appeared in front of her.

"I'll set three cards, and end my turn."

Tiberius drew another card. He paused for a minute.

"I summon Counselor Lily!" he shouted.

The portal opened, and Lily flew out of it, flying over his bike. (400 ATK)

She sighed, and shook her head.

"Oh, don't look at me like that…" he muttered.

_Counselor Lily? _thought Nichole. _Where does she fit in a deck full of ugly Rock Monsters?_

"I know what you're thinking," replied Tiberius. "Everyone always asks 'why her?'

"Well, it's none of your business, okay?

"Anyway, because she was one of the cards I drew with Synchro Requiem, I have to pay 1,000 Life Points. Then I'll Tune her and my Level 4 Gigantes…"

The Tuner and the non-Tuner flew into the sky, and turned into a cluster of stars.

"_Elemental forces combine to form a warrior of stone with a heart of burning fire that sears the flesh of the unprepared!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Infernal Fluton Golem!"_

A portal of flames opened, and the golem with a fiery gemstone for a right hand emerged. (2,400 ATK)

"Now, I'll use Lily's effect, and pay an additional 500 Life Points to increase my Golem's Attack Score by 1,000."

(3,400 ATK)

"It's not gonna work," said Nichole. "In case you didn't notice, my Queen can't be destroyed by battle."

"I know that," said Tiberius, as he discarded a Giant Soldier of Stone to the Graveyard. "By discarding one card in my hand, my Golem can destroy a Monster that has less Attack Points than it does."

Nichole gasped as her Queen shattered into shards.

"Now attack Ms. Belvins directly!" shouted Tiberius. "Fluton flamethrower!"

Nichole screamed as flames from the Golem's fiery jewel engulfed her bike…

But she quickly sped out of the burning cloud, and skidded around. One of her three facedown cards spun around.

"I activate Damage Gate!" she shouted. "Now I can Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard with an Attack Score up to the amount of damage I just took!

"Come on out, Amazoness Acrobat!"

Acrobat leapt onto the field, and did a flip. (1,100 ATK)

"Clever…" said Tiberius. "I set one card, and end my turn…"

A facedown card appeared next to his bike, and then faded from view.

"…which means my Fluton's Attack Score returns to normal…"

(2,400 ATK0

Nichole drew a card. She looked at what she had.

_I can do this… _she thought. Another

**(N: 2,400, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 3,400, SPC: 10)**

Another of her facedown cards spun around.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" she shouted.

Swords Woman leapt onto the field with a cry of battle on her lips. (1,500 ATK)

"Now, I can Tune her and my Amazoness Acrobat together…"

The two Amazons flew into the sky as tribal drums started to play. They dissolved into a cluster of stars.

"_Spiritual leader who can commune with the spirits of your deceased sisters… Come to raise the restless spirits to join you in battle!"_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Amazoness Totemist!"_

The wild-eyed shaman in a black bikini and ceremonial makeup flew down in front of Nichole's bike. She looked at Tiberius with a savage scowl. (2,400 ATK)

"When Totemist is Synchro Summoned," said Nichole, "I get to Special Summon an Amazon from my Graveyard. So once again, here's Amazoness Swords Woman!"

Swords Woman leapt onto the field again. (1,500 ATK)

"And now…" she said, as she took a card from her hand, "you remember Tiger, right?"

The portal opened again, and Amazoness Tiger leapt out in front of her bike with a roar. (1,100 ATK) –) (2,300 ATK)

"Next, another Trap Card," she continued, as her other facedown card spun around. "Kunai with Chain!"

Totemist's spear vanished, and the chained boomerang appeared in her hands. She spun it around dramatically. (2,900 ATK)

"I have just enough to finish you off!" shouted Nichole. "Totemist, destroy Infernal Fluton Golem!"

Totemist hurled the chain, snagging the Golem and pinning its arms to its side. She yanked it towards her, and then kicked it in the gut, blowing it to inert stone.

"You may have vanquished my Fluton…" said Tiberius.

His facedown card spun around.

"…but thanks to my Michizure Trap Card, it will drag one of your Amazons down with it!

"Now let's see… Which one? I think… That annoying Swords Woman!"

A bolt of energy shot out of the card, and Swords Woman barely had time to react before she was blown to shards. Tiger's Attack Score fell to 1,900.

"Well, maybe this duel will last a little longer…" said Nichole. "But… Now you're defenseless!"

Tiger leapt at Tiberius, and he grunted as she raked her claws along his side.

**(N: 2,400, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 1,000, SPC: 10)**

Then he grinned.

"Thank you…" he said. "Because you did that… I can bring out a surprise…"

A plume of foul, black smoke appeared to the side of his bike…

"What?" said Nichole.

Then she realized _exactly _what.

A demonic soldier appeared from out of the smoke. He wore black, iron armor, a tattered red cape, a reflective visor over his eyes, and carried a huge, black zanbato sword. (2,700 ATK)

"Gorz…" said Nichole.

"Yes, it's Gorz," said Tiberius, "and due to his effect, I can bring out Kaien as well…"

There was an aura of light, and another demonic-looking soldier appeared, this one female. She wore an armored battle dress and a Spartan helmet over long, red hair. (1,900 ATK)

Nichole looked at the two cards left in her hand.

She took both, and set them on her console. Two facedown cards appeared.

_I can still win this… _she thought. _He's obviously going to use the effect of Speed World 2 to destroy Totemist, and then attack Tiger with Kaien, and then me with Gorz. _

_He'd win if he did that…_

_But as soon as he tries to attack with Kaien, I'll activate Amazoness Archers, which will reduce both their Attack Scores by 500 and force them to attack. Then, Amazoness Willpower, which will bring back Amazoness Queen, who'll make Tiger unbeatable by battle._

_Kaien will be slain in the failed attack, and next round, my Queen will vanquish the weakened Gorz, and I'll be able to attack directly with Tiger and end this duel._

"I end my turn," she said.

"Draw," said Tiberius, making a draw.

He quickly played it. It was a Speed Spell that Nichole had never seen before, called Speed Spell – Gambit.

"Huh?" she said. "What does…"

Then she was shocked as both Gorz and Kaien vanished.

"You're getting rid of them?" she shouted.

"Yes," said Tiberius. "I have to sacrifice two Monsters to use this powerful Spell. Then I add up their Levels, divide by two, and get to take from my deck, any Monster whose Level is equal or lower."

A card appeared in his hand.

"But… At the end of my turn, it's removed from play, no matter where it is… Thus the fitting name of the Spell Card…

"Now, before I summon it… I can use the effect of Speed World 2 to destroy any card on the field…

"I think… _That _one."

He pointed at one of Nichole's facedown card, and it shattered into pieces.

"Amazoness Archers?" he said, clearly upset. "What a waste… That wouldn't have hurt my Monster at all…"

_The Monster is up to Level 7, _thought Nichole, _and he wouldn't have cared even if it lost 500 Attack Points? What could he have…_

Then she realized something.

_Oh… no…_

"You're probably wondering how I intend to summon this Level 7 Monster without even one sacrifice," said Tiberius. "Well, I don't need them… To summon it, I have to remove any number of Rock-Type Monsters in my Graveyard from play…

"Even just one would suffice… But let's face it… If life has taught me anything, it's that thinking small never gets you anywhere!

"I remove from play every last Rock-Type Monster in my Graveyard…"

A menagerie of Monsters appeared behind him: Koa'ki Meiru Boulder, Koa'ki Meiru Sandman, Giant Soldier of Stone, Bro Gargoyle, Weathering Soldier, Gigantes, Infernal Flail Golem, and Infernal Fluton Golem. They all vanished into nothing.

"I summon… Megarock Dragon!"

There was an eruption of volcanic rock in the middle of the Dan Ryan Expressway, and Nichole's two Amazons watched in awe as a huge creature seemingly burst out of the street. Made entirely of stone, it was vaguely the shape of a large, wingless dragon, covered with points and sharp edges.

"And its Attack Score is 700 times the number of Monsters that I just removed!" continued Tiberius.

(5,600 ATK)

Nichole was about to activate Amazoness Willpower…

Then she realized something… Bringing Queen back would make no difference whatsoever…

_This is gonna hurt… _she thought.

"Attack now!" shouted the Doomdreamer. "Molten bombardment!"

Megarock Dragon let out a roar that sounded like a volcano erupting, and flaming balls of lava shot from its jaws. Amazoness Tiger was incinerated instantly, but the onslaught didn't stop. Some of the projectiles hit the front of Nichole's bike…

…until finally, she tried to skid to a halt, and fell over.

**(N: 0, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 1,000, SPC: 1)**

Nichole was on her hands and knees, breathing hard.

_So what next? _she thought.

She knew she was too exhausted to fight him…

"Well, I'm glad I got that out of my system, Ms. Belvins…" she heard his voice say.

"Don't bother looking for Drago anymore… His employer grabbed him… I'd say he's in Italy right now, and that he won't be bothering anyone here for a _long _time…

"Oh, and look at your Life Point gauge…"

Nichole didn't hear anything else. By the time she got up, he was gone.

_Look at my Life Point gauge? _she thought. _It's at zero… I lost the duel…_

She righted her D-Wheel…

And then she noticed that the Life Point gauge was _not _at zero any more.

It was at 1,700.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

It was now six PM. The search for Drago had been called off, as more pressing problems had come up.

"Well, he's not answering the number he gave us," said Dugan, as he put his phone away, "but that's hardly surprising. And I doubt we'd find him if we went back to that building.

"Seems he was up to something after all."

"Are we surprised?" asked Ben.

"No," said everyone at once.

"People, Karl and I got our asses handed to us…" said Nichole. "But those weren't Shadow Duels… I have a feeling that these duels were meant as warnings, threats, or messages of some sort…"

"That cambion said something about 'nine east of TRUE'…" said Karl. "A taunt or a dare maybe? Something happening nine miles east of the TRUE Building?"

"Karl, that doesn't make sense," said Dugan. "The TRUE Building is in the Gold Coast. Nine miles east of anywhere in the Gold Coast puts you in Lake Michigan."

"Maybe they built a fortress underwater," suggested Ben. "Tharizdun is an elemental god, after all…"

"Without the Shadowchasers knowing?" asked Nichole.

"Tharizdun has been around a _long _time," replied Ben. "There could have been something in that lake before there _were _any Shadowchasers."

"He has a point," said Dugan.

"Tiberius gave me a clue too…" added Nichole. "Something about the number 1,700…"

"Hmmm…" said Dugan, scratching his head. "One-thousand, seven-hundred… Seventeen-hundred…

"Wait a minute, that could be military time!"

"Five o'clock in the afternoon!" exclaimed Karl. "Clearly, something is going to happen at five PM tomorrow at the spot on Lake Michigan nine miles east of the TRUE Building."

Dugan looked at the three of them.

"And tomorrow is Saturday…" he said. "People will be out in droves… Swimming, sunbathing, and doing everything else people do at the beach…

"We'd best be watching that spot at that time.

"Better get some sleep, people… I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**WEATHERING SOLDIER**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 2,000  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **During each of your End Phases, reduce the ATK of this card by 600.

_Note: "Weathering Soldier" was first used by Jim in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Triple Play (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**POWERFUL REBIRTH (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **Dark King of the Abyss bursting out of the ground in a cemetery.

**Card Description: **Select 1 Level 4 or lower Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it. The Special Summoned Monster gains 100 Attack and Defense Points, and its Level is increased by 1. During each of your Standby Phases, you take 1,000 points of damage. If this card leaves the field, destroy the Special Summoned Monster. If the Special Summoned Monster leaves the field, destroy this card.

_Note: "Powerful Rebirth" was first used by Jack in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Fortune Cup Finale (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SYNCHRO REQUIEM (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Archfiend Zombie Skull in a dark cemetery, standing over the body of Doomkaiser Dragon and letting out a great roar.

**Card Description: **Activate when a Synchro Monster you control is destroyed as a result of battle. Draw 2 cards from your deck. Monster Cards drawn by this effect may not be Summoned unless you pay 1,000 Life Points. Spell or Trap Cards drawn by this effect may not be activated unless you pay 1,000 Life Points.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – GAMBIT (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Similar to "Speed Spell – Speed Fusion" but with a menacing Summoned Skull rising behind Dark Magician and Flame Swordsman instead of Dark Flare Knight.

**Card Description: **Activate only when you have 6 or more Speed Counters. Tribute 2 Monsters you control. Search your deck for any Monster whose Level is less than or equal to half the combined Levels of the Tributed Monsters. At the End Phase of the turn, remove the searched-for card from play.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BRO GARGOYLE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute:** Earth  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description: **When this card is used for the Synchro Summoning of a Rock-Type Synchro Monster, you may draw one card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INFERNAL FLAIL GOLEM**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Rock-Type Monsters_

This card is also considered a Fiend-Type Monster. When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, return the destroyed Monster to its owner's hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Minerva: A thousand years ago, the Knights of Domiel were entrusted with a powerful artifact that created by craftsmen serving the archons of Mount Celestia…**_

_**Two-hundred years ago, we proved to be failures at this task. The member of our order who was currently entrusted with it was killed by a Doomdreamer who claimed it for himself. To make matters worse, due to the nature of their battle, it was well within the Doomdreamer's rights to take it. **_

_**For two centuries, we've lived with this shame. But now, Lareth the Beautiful appears before me, offering to return the artifact… But he requests a duel first…**_

_**I'd be foolish to trust this madman… So much blood is on his hands, so many have suffered in his service to his insane god… But I can't refuse this challenge… The artifact is still our responsibility, and so long as a chance remains to get it back, I must take it. **_

"_**The Celestial Configuration; The Coveted Power" is coming soon. **_


	40. The Celestial Configuration

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Celestial Configuration**

**The Coveted Power**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Afternoon slowly turned to night in Chicago.

And when it is eight PM in Chicago, it is six-thirty AM the next day in Agra, India.

Dark cults and evil organizations tended to be afraid of the Knights of Domiel, thinking them a widespread and omnipotent organization, but the truth was, the organization was rather small. They had only one base on Earth (although the members would die before revealing where it was) and their roster really never consisted of more than thirty members at one time. They didn't actually worship Domiel, as no members of the Hebdomad supported any organized religions. (They were not technically gods; they had power that was on the same level as that of the mightiest deities, but were something entirely different.) He was more like their liege, just as any other liege supported any other order of knights.

What this meant was, the members of the group had to do a _lot _of traveling. Minerva was sitting having coffee in a small café in Agra, watching the sun rise over the Tāj Mahal down the avenue. She wasn't interested in fighting assassins or hired killers right now… At least not until the order to do so came. She was just minding her own business.

She looked at the wondrous structure, one of India's most popular and famous attractions. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"It is indeed beautiful, is it not?" asked a sinister voice. "Amazing what a man will do for a woman…"

Minerva leapt to her feet and spun around.

The one who had approached her was Lareth the Beautiful.

"Hello," he said. "Minerva, I believe?"

Minerva took a fighting stance.

"You won't catch me off guard, Doomdreamer…" she warned.

"Calm down," said Lareth, showing his empty hands, "I'm not here to fight… Not yet at least… I have a proposition to make with a Knight of Domiel, and you seem to be the only one around. I don't think you'll refuse…"

"I tend to doubt that," said Minerva, not relaxing her stance.

Lareth looked at her.

"As you know," he said, "two-hundred years ago, a member of my order killed a member of yours, and stole an item that Knight was entrusted with…"

"The Celestial Configuration…" said Minerva, her eyes widening.

"That's right…" said Lareth. "I have it…"

He pointed to a pouch on his belt. Then he made a Duel Disk appear on his arm.

"…and I will return it… So long as you duel me."

"So we battle using Duel Monsters," replied Minerva, "and should I win, you return the Celestial Configuration?"

"I don't care if I win or lose," replied Lareth. "I simply want to duel you."

Minerva lifted an eyebrow.

_This is more than likely a trick… _she thought. _But… It wasn't truly murder that claimed the life of Sir Marston, it was a battle with a wager. He wagered the Celestial Configuration, hoping to take something from the Doomdreamers that would have crippled them had they lost it… Only to lose the battle. The Doomdreamer who killed him had every right to take it…_

Mount Celestia, the home of the Hebdomad and many other divine beings of Law and Good, was a peak of seven layers. Getting past even the first layer was difficult for mortals. Getting to the second layer of Hell if you needed to do so was pretty straightforward; you had to fight your way there. But in the realm of Law and Good, it wasn't like that; no-one got to the second layer of Mount Celestia without passing the tests.

In order to progress up the mountain, a mortal had to pass certain tests, proving such values as virtue, purity, courage, and charity. Only once you were proven worthy would you be able to even perceive the path to the second layer and be allowed to ascend. And you would then face new trials if you wanted to climb to the third. Legends spoke of great heroes making it to the sixth layer, but these stories always ended at the point where the hero decided to make the last step and attempt to ascend to the seventh. It was said that anyone who actually made it to the summit of Mount Celestia achieved absolute perfection, and did not return to tell his story.

But the trip could take years, if not decades, and if you were serious about it, you had best be willing to leave the mortal world behind forever. If you were to leave Mount Celestia in the middle of your journey, you would have to start all over again from the bottom if you ever came back. It didn't seem fair, but no-one ever said that the road to perfection would be easy.

The Celestial Configuration was one of the only ways around that problem. If a mortal had already proven himself and ascended to a higher layer of Mount Celestia, this artifact could open a portal directly to the highest layer he had been allowed to enter. It was the only way to make the attempt without having to spend your whole life on Mount Celestia.

The Knights of Domiel had been entrusted with it once… They had failed in their duty, but it was still their responsibility. As much as Minerva didn't trust Lareth, she simply could not refuse.

She lifted her left arm, and her special Duel Disk appeared on it.

"I see you have accepted my challenge…" said Lareth. "But we seem to be causing quite a scene… Why don't we go somewhere more private?"

Minerva looked around. Several passersby were indeed watching them.

"Where did you have in mind?" she asked.

Lareth waved his arms, and a dark void surrounded them…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Then it faded, and they were in a torch-lit cavern surrounded by the dead. Bones and skulls had been literally interred into the walls.

Minerva glanced behind her. A throne made entirely of bones and skulls on an altar made of marble was there…

"I know this place…" she said.

"Yes…" said Lareth. "We're in a cave about thirty miles north of Mumbai. This was once the largest temple dedicated to Demogorgon in India… A temple built by the two-headed rakshasa lord Sihm. A cult that your order defeated… But Demogorgon's lingering evil influence remains, locals believe it to be cursed, and no-one comes here anymore. It is the perfect place for us to duel unmolested."

"You promise to return the Celestial Configuration once this duel is over, right?" asked Minerva.

"I give you my word as a gentleman," said Lareth. "So long as you do your best and don't simply surrender after two turns."

"I would never surrender to you," said Minerva. "Fine… Let's stop beating around the bush."

Their Disks shuffled their decks.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Minerva: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move…" said Lareth making a draw.

He drew a card, and looked over his hand.

He quickly chose one, and set it on his Disk. A set Monster appeared in front of him.

"I think I'll end with that…"

Minerva drew a card, and looked at it.

Fate seemed to have smiled upon her… She had chosen just the right time to remake her deck, turning it into a Naturia Deck that focused almost exclusively on the Plant-Type. She had a host of new strategies, and all of them were deadly.

"I summon…" she said.

She played a card.

"…Naturia Eggplant!"

In a burst of light, a Monster appeared that was not quite the typical eggplant. It looked like a big, purple wasp with an eggplant for a torso. (1,000 ATK)

"That's a mighty peculiar fruit," said Lareth.

"Before I attack," said Minerva, "I'll play the Foolish Burial Spell Card."

She played the card, and took a card from her deck. She looked at it briefly before discarding it.

"Now my Monster attacks!"

With a buzz, the odd vegetable-insect hybrid flew towards the hidden Monster. A strange Monster appeared on the card. It looked like an armless reptilian creature with a lizard's head, two legs, and a long tail, with two gems on its forehead.

Naturia Eggplant jabbed it with its stinger, and it shattered.

"You just destroyed Sealed Beast Inun," said Lareth.

"A Sealed Beast?" said Minerva, with a strange expression.

"And when Inun is destroyed by battle," continued Lareth, "I get to take a specific Continuous Spell from my deck…"

He took a card from his deck.

"You seem confused…" he said. "Well, you'll soon see the whole picture…"

"I… end my turn…" said Minerva.

"I draw!" said Lareth, making a draw.

"And now I summon another Sealed Beast, Sealed Beast Boa Booran!"

He played the card, and another armless, reptilian creature appeared in a shadowy aura. This one had a skull-like face, sharp teeth, and a spiked collar around its neck. (1,700 ATK)

"You see, Minerva…" said the Doomdreamer, "on their own, most Sealed Beasts are almost powerless… Nothing more than Normal Monsters."

He played the Continuous Spell. Boa Booran glowed with ominous energy.

"Only with the power of Sealed Mantra can they unleash their terrible powers!

"In Boa Booran's case, any Monster it attacks is destroyed at the end of the battle, regardless of the battle's outcome.

"But it doesn't need that effect to destroy your Eggplant, now does it? Attack, my Boa Booran! Turn that Monster into eggplant parmesan!"

The Sealed Beast exhaled a stream of violet flames from its jaws, and Naturia Eggplant was burned to a crisp.

"Ergh…" grunted Minerva.

_I should have known… _she thought. _This is a Shadow Duel…_

"I activate the effect of Naturia Eggplant!" she exclaimed. "When it goes from the field to the Graveyard, I get to recover any Naturia Monster _from _my Graveyard. Except for a Naturia Eggplant…"

The card that she had discarded with Foolish Burial slipped out of her discard slot.

_Once I summon this, _she thought, _this duel is as good as over. _

"I end my turn," said Lareth.

**(M: 7,300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 8,000)**

"Then my turn starts," said Minerva, as she made a draw.

"I play the Spell Card, Soul Taker!" she exclaimed. "Now, you gain 1,000 Life Points, but your Monster is destroyed!"

She played the card, and a beam of energy shot from it, blowing Sealed Beast Boa Booran to pieces.

"Sealed Beasts…" she said. "Don't seem so tough to me…

"I set a Monster and a facedown card, and my turn is over…"

Two set cards appeared in front of her.

**(M: 7,300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 9,000)**

Lareth chuckled softly but thoroughly.

"I was completely defenseless," he said, "and yet you chose to defend instead of attacking me?"

He drew a card.

"That may prove a costly mistake… For my turn, I will simply set a Monster myself…"

A hidden Monster appeared in front of him.

"It's your move."

"I'll show you why I didn't attack you," said Minerva, as she made a draw.

"I set another card…"

A second card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"And then I sacrifice this Monster…"

Her set Monster vanished.

"…to summon one of my most powerful Naturia… Naturia Bamboo Shoot!"

With a loud squeak, a new Plant-Type Monster leapt onto the field. It was indeed a bamboo shoot, the tender, edible part of the bamboo plant, with a cute face on the front. (2,000 ATK)

"If _that's _one of your best Monsters," said Lareth, "then you're in serious trouble…"

"It may have only 2,000 Attack Points," said Minerva, "but because I sacrificed another Naturia to summon it, its effect will keep you from activating any Spells OR Traps for as long as it's on the field."

Lareth lifted an eyebrow.

"Okay, that's… a problem…" he said.

"And I'm willing to bet it can defeat your Monster too," said Minerva.

Naturia Bamboo Shoot rolled over on its side, and then rolled towards Lareth's Monster, rolling right over Mystic Tomato when it appeared and crushing it flat.

"I use Mystic Tomato's effect!" said Lareth. "I summon Sealed Beast Garuma Juru to the field."

In another aura of shadow, another armless reptile appeared, this one with stripes down its back, curved horns on each side of its head, and more horns on the back. (1,200 ATK)

Minerva glanced at her two facedown cards.

"I end my turn…" she said.

Lareth made a draw.

"Your Bamboo Shoot may prevent me from using Spell Cards," he said, "but Sealed Mantra was already on the field, so it remains…

"That means my Sealed Beasts can use their effects, and Garuma Juru's effect lets it destroy one Spell or Trap Card per turn.

"So let's see… How about the one on the left?"

Garuma Juru's eyes glowed red. It shot beams of energy at the card.

"I chain-activate it!" shouted Minerva. "Jar of Greed!"

The card shattered into pixels, and she made one draw.

"Well then…" said Lareth. "Because Sealed Mantra is in play, I can Special Summon Sealed Beast Nunurao from my hand."

Another Sealed Beast appeared, this one without any limbs at all. Indeed, it would have seemed a mere serpent, if not for the bony covering over its face and a bony armored plate halfway down its torso with a red jewel in the center. (500 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…" continued Lareth.

Nunurao and Garuma Juru turned into a crackling sphere of dark energy…

"I summon one of the most powerful of Sealed Beasts! Sealed Beast Buron!"

The sphere burst, and a titanic creature appeared, looming over the field. It was the same basic shape as the other Sealed Beasts, but was twenty feet tall. It had no eyes… Indeed, its head was almost all mouth, with huge, sharp teeth that looked like stalactites. (2,700 ATK)

The Beast let out a great roar. Naturia Bamboo Shoot's eyes neatly popped out of its head. Minerva was frightened too, but she tried to remain calm…

"Attack!" shouted Lareth. "Obliterate that sprout!"

Buron charged, making the cavern floor tremble as it did.

"I activate… Shrink!" shouted Minerva, as her other facedown card lifted up.

Lareth only grinned evilly. Buron was certainly not impressed. Its Attack Score didn't change at all. Its foot stomped down on Naturia Bamboo Shoot, flattening it and throwing Minerva to the floor.

**(M: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 9,000)**

"As you could see," said Lareth, "your Spell Card didn't reduce its size by even an inch. You see, with Sealed Mantra on the field, Buron is immune to all Spell Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster effects.

"And it's your move…"

Minerva slowly got up.

Her hand shook as she made a draw. Lareth had promised to return the artifact even if she lost… But this was a Shadow Duel… She noticed that he had _not _promised to spare her life.

She felt a little more confident when she saw what she had drawn.

"Because my Graveyard only has Plants in it," she said, "and I have no Spell or Trap Cards on the field, I can Special Summon Naturia Pineapple from my Graveyard."

As she said so, a large pineapple with leafy arms and eyes appeared in front of her. (100 ATK)

"Then, I summon Naturia Pumpkin!"

She played another card, and the big, green, sleepy-looking pumpkin appeared next to the Pineapple. (1,400 ATK)

"And when Pumpkin is Normal Summoned when you control a Monster, I get to Special Summon another Naturia… I choose Naturia Strawberry!"

A large, red strawberry with a smiling, feminine face bounded onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

"These cute Monsters are making me nauseous and hungry at the same time," said Lareth.

"Then eat this!" said Minerva, as she played a Spell Card. "I play Leodrake's Mane!

"By negating the effect of one of my Naturia, I can make its Attack Score 3,000 for one round. That benefit is going to Pineapple."

Naturia Pineapple glowed with flaming blue energy, and its expression turned from friendly to ferocious. (3,000 ATK)

"And now Naturia Bamboo Shoot will be avenged! Attack his Sealed Beast Buron!"

Naturia Pineapple flew through the air towards Buron, and then flew _through _Buron, smashing right through its torso and out its back. The goliath collapsed to the floor, and exploded into pieces of black rubble.

"Now, my Pumpkin and Strawberry attack you directly!"

The large gourd and fruit looked at Lareth angrily… Then they too launched themselves through the air, and rammed into him. The Doomdreamer staggered with the first blow, and was knocked down with the second.

**(M: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,700)**

"Heh, heh, heh…" he said, as he got up.

"You're more powerful than I imagined…" he said.

He looked at her.

"Good… I wouldn't want this to be too easy, after all…"

"My turn is over," said Minerva, "so Pineapple's Attack Score returns to 100…"

Lareth drew a card.

"I play my Pot of Avarice," he said, as he played a Spell Card.

He took Mystic Tomato, Inun, Boa Booran, Garuma Juru, and Nunurao from his discard slot, and added them to his deck. The auto-shuffler shuffled the deck.

"Let's see what the cards will deal me now, eh?" he said.

He made two draws.

"Hmm…" he said.

"I summon Sealed Beast Khaotek," he said.

In another dark shadow, a new Sealed Beast appeared. Unlike the others, this one had arms, although they were small and vestigial. It had no eyes, and a lamprey-like mouth. It was hunched over, using its long tail for balance. (1,700 ATK)

"I use Naturia Strawberry's effect!" exclaimed Minerva. "Once per turn, when you summon a Monster, its Attack Score increases by 100 times that Monster's Level.

(2,000 ATK)

"Then it's safe for this turn," replied Lareth. "But your other two Monsters aren't, because when Khaotek is Normal Summoned I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Sealed Beast from my hand. And I choose Sealed Beast Tssng."

The Sealed Beast that appeared this time looked like a Komodo dragon, with a bony carapace covering its torso and a yellow gem in its forehead. (1,000 ATK)

"Now I can deal with this demented cornucopia… Tssng, destroy Naturia Pineapple!"

The Sealed Beast breathed a bolt of blue energy from its mouth, striking the large fruit and blowing it to shards. Minerva groaned and held her stomach.

"Next, Khaotek will turn your Pumpkin into squash," continued Lareth. "Attack with sonic scream!"

Khaotek opened its jaws, and shot a concentrated blast of sound at Naturia Pumpkin, causing it to burst. Minerva groaned again.

"It's your move…" said Lareth.

**(M: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,700)**

Minerva made a draw.

Her eyes lit up.

"I summon Naturia Cherries!" she shouted.

She played the card, and the two smiling cherries appeared next to Naturia Strawberry. (200 ATK)

"Now, I Tune my Level 1 Cherries with my Level 4 Naturia Strawberry…"

The two Plants turned into a cluster of stars, and flew up to the roof of the cavern.

"_Primal and savage God of the West, avatar of autumn! Byakko, appear before me and punish the infidels with your powerful claws!"_

**(*1 + *4 = *5)**

"_Synchro Summon... Naturia Beast!"_

With a roar, the bestial member of the Lords of Naturia bounded onto the field. (2,200 ATK)

"Time for a sonic attack of my own," said Minerva. "Attack Sealed Beast Tssng! Savage Roar!"

Naturia Beast let out a great roar, and Tssng was blown into pixels as Lareth struggled to maintain footing.

"Ergh… ugh…" he said. "That hurt… That was painful, yes…

"But… When Sealed Beast Tssng is destroyed by battle while I have Sealed Mantra on the field, I get to draw two cards."

He made two draws. He looked at them.

He gave Minerva and her Monster a long look, and then smirked slightly. He quickly added them to his hand.

_Something tells me he got a good card… _thought Minerva.

She looked at her last card, and then quickly played it.

"I play MY Pot of Avarice," she said.

She took Eggplant, Pineapple, Bamboo Shoot, Pumpkin, and Cherries from her discard slot, and added them to her deck. Her deck was shuffled, and she made two draws.

She quickly set one of them in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Make your move…" she said.

**(M: 5,400) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,500)**

"I draw…" said Lareth.

"Once again, I Special Summon Sealed Beast Nunurao."

A second Sealed Beast Nunurao appeared on the field. (500 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Again, the two Sealed Beasts on the field turned into a crackling orb of darkness…

"I summon Sealed Beast Niburu!"

The orb exploded, and the nastiest Sealed Beast yet appeared. It was just as big as Buron, but it had arms, and was completely covered in shiny black armor from head to toe, with sharp edges all over. Its eyes glowed with a fiery light. (2,700 ATK)

"Simply by summoning it," he said, "I'm allowed to Special Summon a low-Level Sealed Beast from my Graveyard… And I choose Sealed Beast Tssng."

Tssng appeared yet again. (1,000 ATK)

"Now Niburu attacks Naturia Beast… Unfettered power of the Ancients!"

Niburu let out an unearthly roar that shook the cavern. Then it blasted a bolt of dark lightning, and Naturia Beast was eradicated.

Before Minerva could even respond to the shock, Tssng shot its bolt of blue fire, striking her directly.

**(M: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,500)**

_Now she'll have no choice… _thought Lareth. _No choice but to summon her ultimate creature…_

"I set one card facedown," he said, as a set card appeared behind his Monsters, "and then turn it over to you…"

Minerva took some deep breaths.

"I don't know what your game is, Doomdreamer," she said, "but I _will _defeat you before I reclaim that artifact!"

She drew a card.

"Perfect…" she said.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" she exclaimed.

In a flash of light, Naturia Strawberry appeared in front of her. (1,600 ATK)

"Then, I summon the Tuner Monster, Naturia Tulip."

In another flash of light, a big, red tulip with a smiling, feminine face appeared next to the Strawberry. (600 ATK)

"Now, I'll Tune my Level 2 Tulip with my Level 4 Strawberry…"

The flower and the fruit flew towards the ceiling of the cavern, and dissolved into a cluster of stars…

"_Wise and regal God of the East, avatar of spring! Seiryuu, appear before me and pass judgment with your divine flames!"_

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Naturia Barkion!"_

With a roar, the large oriental Dragon appeared hovering in the air in front of her. (2,500 ATK)

"Now, to summon something even better!" she said, as she took the last card from her hand. "I play Miracle Synchro Fusion!"

Naturia Beast appeared next to Barkion, and the two Naturia vanished into grains of light.

"By removing Beast and Barkion from play, I can summon the true King of the Forest…"

There was a low growl, and then Naturia Exterio bounded onto the field. (2,800 ATK)

"That's just what I was waiting for…" said Lareth.

He discarded a card from his hand, a second Sealed Mantra.

"Because you Special Summoned a Monster, I can discard one card to Special Summon Chaos Hunter!"

A dark portal opened, and the fiendish-looking lady in leather armor and a mask holding a whip leapt out.

She grinned at Minerva. (2,500 ATK)

"And so long as she's around, you aren't allowed to remove cards from play."

"Wait…" said Minerva. "That means…"

"That's right…" said Lareth. "To use Exterio's negating effect, you must discard a card from your deck AND remove a card in your Graveyard from play. You can't pay half of that cost, so Exterio can't negate anything."

"Wait one minute…" said Minerva. "You could have summoned her when I Synchro Summoned Barkion and that would have prevented me from using Miracle Synchro Fusion!

"You could have prevented me from summoning Exterio in the first place… You're up to something…"

She glared at Lareth.

"I'll figure it out later…" she said. "Exterio…"

Then Lareth's facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Threatening Roar!" he shouted.

"Fine," said Minerva. "But you can't keep my Monster at bay forever… I end my turn…"

Lareth drew a card. He looked at it.

_But I only needed to keep it at bay for one round… _he thought.

"I sacrifice Sealed Beast Tssng…" he said.

The Sealed Beast turned into a globe of energy…

A new Monster appeared that logic told Minerva should not be there… It was a hulking, muscular fiend with silvery skin, and vestigial wings on its back. Instead of legs, its lower torso trailed off into a serpentine trunk, twenty feet long, with a snake's head on the end.

"Behold… Diabound Kernel!" exclaimed Lareth.

(1,800 ATK)

"Impossible…" gasped Minerva. "Diabound should have perished when Zorc Necrophades was slain…"

"It was a _ka _created by the Thief King Bakura," replied Lareth, "and it didn't perish when he was killed, because Zorc usurped control of it. And when Zorc perished, an even more powerful force usurped control of it."

"Tharizdun…" said Minerva, narrowing her eyes.

"That's right…" said Lareth. "Actually, the true Diabound cannot be summoned any more. This is simply Diabound Kernel, a lesser vestige with a fraction of its power.

"But it can still do the job.

"I now activate a Spell Card that came with the card… The Equip Spell, Spirit Illusion!"

He played the card, and Diabound Kernel faded into a blur. After a few seconds, there was a duplicate of itself next to it. (1,800 ATK)

"This Equip Spell creates a Doppler Diabound, a perfect copy.

"And now my Doppler Diabound will use its effect…"

The Doppler turned incorporeal, and lunged towards Naturia Exterio. A look of fear appeared on the Beast's face as the Fiend literally entered its body. Exterio roared in pain. (1,000 ATK)

"What have you done?" screamed Minerva.

"By possessing your Monster," said Lareth, "Doppler Diabound causes it to lose Attack Points equal to its own Attack Points.

"And now the true Diabound Kernel will attack it! Siphon strike!"

Diabound Kernel's serpent-tail struck fast, biting Exterio on the shoulder. Exterio screamed, and slumped on the floor before shattering.

_I've fulfilled my mission… _thought Lareth. _Now to get one more thing…_

_Satisfaction._

"Chaos Hunter, attack her directly!" he ordered.

Chaos Hunter leapt at Minerva, and lashed her whip. Minerva screamed.

"And now Niburu will finish you off… Unfettered power of the Ancients!"

Minerva screamed again as the bolts of dark lightning struck her hard, shocking her every pore…

**(M: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,500)**

Lareth couldn't help but be impressed. Despite the two powerful direct attacks, Minerva was still standing. She was dizzy and looked ready to fall over at any minute, but she hadn't collapsed.

_She's quite tenacious… _he thought. _I suppose I could kill her outright…_

_But she deserves more than that…_

He rushed up to her, and gave her a shove, pushing her backwards. She fell onto the throne of bones on the altar behind her…

And then it had her. The throne's magic activated, and skeletal arms seized her, two on each limb and two over her torso, securing her to the piece of macabre furniture.

Lareth walked over to her, and took the small bag off of her belt.

"I'll have you know, I keep my promises," he said. "I am a gentleman…"

He placed it on her lap.

"The Celestial Configuration is in that bag," he continued. "It's worthless to me anyway. We tried to convert it into something that would allow safe passage through the layers of Hell, but our attempts proved pointless.

"You're free to do whatever you want with it…"

He turned and started to walk away.

"…assuming someone finds you before you starve."

As he turned to walk away again, he looked at the Diabound Kernel card.

_I doubt that will happen though, _he thought, _with the taboos that everyone has put on this cursed place… But if someone does find her, I don't care…_

_It doesn't matter to me whether she survives or not… I got what I needed, without drawing any attention. The power this creature took from Naturia Exterio will be sufficient to awaken the Tabernacle's powers, and the Shadowchasers will be none the wiser until tomorrow afternoon. _

Minerva struggled against her bonds as Lareth the Beautiful vanished into the darkness…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

There are some who say that cities like Chicago never sleep.

Bull.

On some nights, the city practically _snores._

The city seemed rather peaceful for a change on that Friday night, and the residents of the Shadowchasers penthouse, like everyone else in the city, was sleeping soundly, free of the unsettling dreams that usually hounded them.

Dugan was fondly remembering the day he graduated from ROTC, the proud day when he became a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marines, where the Captain who had been in charge of his training gave him his bars.

Karl dreamed himself onboard the _Millennium Falcon, _playing chess at that famous game board, the same device that had inspired him to invent his own version that had built himself quite a nest egg.

Nichole dreamed of her brother, of playing basketball at the playground with him in happier times.

And Ben? He dreamed of what must have been a past life… A life where he was fighting heroically with a swashbuckler's rapier against a mob of kuo-toa, with the fish-men on the verge of retreat…

And so the night passed, and the morning came, with the sun rising over the city, an air of calmness still over the metropolis…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They say there's nothing like a day at the beach.

At four-thirty in the afternoon, when the weather was a little cooler, there were still droves of people on the sparkling beaches along Lake Shore Drive. People sunbathing, swimming, grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, playing volleyball… Even a few folks with Duel Disks.

The Shadowchasers and Ben had been here since one o'clock, to be sure not to miss anything. They were watching from their D-Wheels, scanning the area offshore with binoculars.

"Nothing yet," said Nichole. "But we've still got about fifteen minutes…"

"I've pinpointed the exact area nine miles east of the TRUE Building," said Karl, who was looking at Sal. "It should be about four miles offshore, close enough to be seen on a clear day…

"I'm not getting any readings… If there's anything there, they're doing a heck of a job of hiding it."

"Keep watching…" said Dugan. "Something's gonna happen, and it's gonna happen here…"

After about another minute of watching, they heard a rumble of thunder.

"Eh?" said Karl. "How could it…"

It took less than a minute, but the clear sky quickly turned overcast and dark. Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed. Everyone on the beach started to run for cover.

"This is not your average storm…" said Dugan.

Then, large waves crashed into the beach. Whitecaps formed on the lake…

As they watched, something started to rise out of the lake, four miles off the coast. It started slowly, but then started to rise faster…

It looked like a large, dark tower. It was a huge, charcoal-grey building, with arched buttresses and obscene designs. Every surface of the structure teemed with leering faces and monstrous images that chilled the assembled viewers down to their very souls.

Dugan's cell phone rang. He answered it as he looked at the huge tower.

"Jalal?" he said. "Yeah, I know… Seems we've found the true Hub…"

"Look at the size of that thing!" shouted Nichole.

"How the heck could they have built it?" asked Karl.

"I know how they built it…" said Dugan, ominously. "I've seen a structure like this before, only not as big… The Flying Dutchman's ship. That tower is made of the shadow-stuff of the Darkfell.

"But this is far more elaborate. It even comes with its own dark storm clouds to keep the sun off of it."

Karl looked at Sal.

"Well, I'm certainly getting readings now," he said. "Auras of magic, Evil, Chaos, and divine power, all four of which are off the scale."

"The Temple of All-Consumption…" muttered Ben.

"Huh?" said Nichole. "How do you know?"

"I know…" said Ben. "And I know that the enemy I must face is somewhere in that tower… It wasn't an accident that brought me to you people… We're opposing the same threat."

"You still there?" said Jalal's voice.

"Go ahead boss," said Dugan

"We're getting our own analysis on that fortress right now, Dugan…" replied Jalal. "Yes, this is clearly Tharizdun's influence at work. I've just never seen a stronghold dedicated to him that was so… _big_ before.

"Hang tight. I'm organizing a strike force, and I'll personally accompany it to Chicago. You three try to prevent panic until we get there."

"Gotcha…" said Dugan.

Then a dark, shadowy portal opened in front of them.

"Oh, look people!" said Nichole, almost laughing. "Seems that they're inviting us in!"

"Heh…" said Karl. "They must think we're the stupidest…"

Karl didn't get a chance to finish that sentence.

At that moment, three ugly tentacles shot out of the portal. Before the three Shadowchasers could react, they were grabbed, and pulled through the portal.

Ben was shocked, but he quickly came to his senses. The portal was starting to shrink. He had about ten seconds to make up his mind…

He made it just in time to dive through after them.

In a viewing room at the top of the tower, Tiberius, Lorelei, Lareth, and Hape are watching them enter. Tiberius nodded to the others.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED MANTRA**** (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **A scroll spilling out of an old-fashioned scroll case.

**Card Description: **Increase the ATK of all Monsters you control by 0 points.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST INUN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 200  
**DEF:** 300

**Card Description: **When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you may add 1 "Sealed Mantra" to your hand from your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST GARUMA JURU (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". When this card is on the field while you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* Once per turn, you can destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST BOA BOORAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* When this card attacks a Monster, destroy the attack target at the end of the damage step.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST BURON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,100

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* This card is not affected by the effects of Spell Cards, Trap Cards, or Effect Monsters.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST NUNURAO (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard, on the field, or in your hand when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* You may Special Summon this card from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST NIBURU (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* When this card is Summoned, select 1 Level 4 or lower "Sealed Beast" Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it.

_Note: The Sealed Beasts were first used by Amon in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DIABOUND KERNEL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **Once per turn, you can Equip this card to a face-up Monster your opponent controls, OR unequip it to Special Summon it to your side of the field. The Equipped Monster loses Attack Points equal to this card's base ATK. If the Equipped Monster is destroyed by battle, Special Summon this card to your side of the field. If this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, this card is treated as that Monster and gains its effect.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPIRIT ILLUSION**** (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **A dark fog with two evil eyes in the center.

**Card Description: **Equip only to a Fiend or Zombie-Type Monster. After activation, Special Summon 1 "Doppelganger Token" with the same ATK, DEF, Type, Attribute, Level, and effect(s) as the Equipped Monster. If this card is removed from the field, destroy the "Doppelganger Token".

_Note: "Diabound Kernel" and "Spirit Illusion" were first used by Bakura in the original anime episode "Spiritual Awakening", although Diabound Kernel's significance was not revealed until later. Creative credit goes to the writers of the "Dawn of the Duel" arc. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST KHAOTEK (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* When this card is Normal Summoned, you may Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Sealed Beast" Monster from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST TSSNG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* When this card is destroyed by battle, you may draw 2 cards from your deck.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: We've been dragged into the Temple of All Consumption, and going back the way we came seems impossible. Even worse, the members of the welcoming committee have set their sights on my allies. But due to some fluke, the one who was aiming for Nichole has missed its mark and grabbed me instead. **_

_**Now a duelist who was prepared to duel her has little choice but to settle for me, and I have little choice but to comply. My Duel Disk seems to have gotten serious this time and chosen a strategy that makes sense, giving me an archetype that consists of the mortal enemies of the one my opponent is using. Which will prevail?**_

"_**Ageless Conflict; The Armory" is coming soon. **_


	41. Ageless Conflict, The Armory

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Ageless Conflict**

**The Armory**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As everyone in the country was watching CNN, they were startled as a "Breaking News" message suddenly came up.

"This just in," said the female anchor. "Pandemonium has struck Chicago, as an odd structure has unexpectedly appeared off the shore of Lake Michigan.

"We go now to Todd Masters, our live correspondent in Chicago."

The scene shifted to a reporter who was on the beach, where winds and high waves, not to mention the ominous tower, were keeping people away.

"Thank you Sandra," he said. "As you can see behind me, this looks anything but friendly. The police commissioner made a brief statement saying that this is definitely not any publicity stunt that he knows of, and that he is working on getting to the bottom of it. He promises to make more information available as he gets it."

"Thank you Todd," said the anchor. "More on this strange story as it develops."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Ben and the three Shadowchasers had been unceremoniously dumped in what looked like an entrance hall.

Dugan got up and looked around. There were two sets of stairs leading up to a landing, but no way out.

They were trapped.

"Ben!" shouted Karl. "Why the Hell did you follow us?"

"Uh…" said Ben. "It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing…

"Ho boy, heads up guys…"

They looked up, and saw three ghostly figures hovering over the landing. They looked like empty, ragged, black cloaks.

Dugan lifted his blunderbuss, but before he could even aim it, two of them dove at him and Karl, grappling them. Dugan and Karl vanished, and they were gone.

The third one started to fly towards Nichole… But then it paused, as if it were unsure.

Then it seemingly changed its mind, and grappled Ben instead. He vanished just as Karl and Dugan had.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The three Doomdreamers and Hape were watching in their observation chamber, and they were _not _happy. Tiberius waved his hand, and an orb of energy appeared.

"XANE!" he shouted. "The one that was supposed to grab Nichole grabbed that weird green elf instead!"

"I seem to remember telling you that rush jobs were bound to cause complications," said Xane's voice.

"Oh, for the love of…" said Tiberius.

He hit the sphere, and it burst.

"Yo, chief?" said Hape, who was looking through the viewing screen. "More bad news… Nichole isn't waiting to see if they come back. She's running up the stairs, two at a time."

"This could be a problem…" said Lorelei. "She could screw things up royally if she pokes around where she doesn't belong…"

"Uhm, excuse me," said a voice behind them.

They turned around, and saw that the one who had spoken was Graves.

"I don't like to brag," he said, "but I think I could handle an Amazoness duelist."

"You, Graves?" asked Tiberius.

"It's been awhile," said Graves, "but I still have my touch."

Tiberius rubbed his chin.

"Why not?" he said. "Consider yourself a member of the welcoming committee. Go intercept her. Capture her if you can, delay her if you can't."

Graves rushed out of the room as Lareth watched intently.

"You put a lot of trust in that man," said Lareth. "What's his actual ranking in the order anyway?"

"He doesn't have one," replied Tiberius. "Graves lacks certain… Prerequisites to join the Dark God's faithful…

"But if you're questioning his loyalty, fear not… You certainly aren't the first, but he's never been a serious problem…"

"If you folks don't need me anymore," said Hape, "I'm gonna go use the little boy's room."

He walked out of the room with a frown, walking faster once he out the door.

_Complications my ass… _he thought. _That homunculus grabbed him on purpose… Someone sabotaged the formula. _

_The time is nearing… Soon I will confront him… And I'll do what I must to keep this cycle going…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ben sat up, rubbing his head.

"Ho boy…" he said.

He was in an armory of some sort, loaded with weapons and armor that looked like they had been made for demons. Serrated blades, saw-toothed glaives, and maces with heads shaped like skulls were placed on racks all around him.

He wasn't alone. The ghostly thing that grabbed him was at the far end of the room…

And standing beside it was a young woman. It was Roxy, but he didn't recognize her because he hadn't met her yet.

And she seemed just as surprised – and upset – as he was.

"What the…" she said.

She took out her mobile and hit a number.

"HEY!" she shouted. "You said I could duel Nichole!"

"There's been some unforeseen problems," said Tiberius's voice. "Duel the green elf instead."

"No… way…" said Roxy with a scowl.

"Fine…" said Tiberius. "_You_ can tell Lorelei that the dark homunculus she gave you is going to be wasted. You do know what she does to people who make her mad, right?"

Roxy gulped. She hung up.

Then she scowled, and looks at Ben.

"I have no idea who you are," she said, "but I'm angry, and I have to take it out on someone…"

Her Duel Disk activated.

"Look, can't we talk about this?" asked Ben.

"No exits from this room," replied Roxy, "not for _either _of us until one of us is defeated in a Shadow Duel. Since my boss isn't willing to change that rule, we don't have a choice."

"How could some common thug like you create a Shadow Duel?" asked Ben.

"Normally, I can't," replied Roxy, "but Lorelei can, since she's a Doomdreamer. And this dark homunculus…"

She pointed to the ghostly cloak.

"…lets me serve as a conduit for her powers. For as long as I have it, anyone who confronts me is confronting both me and Lorelei at the same time.

"Now are you gonna duel or not?"

Ben sighed.

"I guess there's no avoiding it…" he said.

His Duel Disk activated.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Roxy: 8,000)**

"Duel!" they both shouted.

"I'm going first, Green," said Roxy, as she made her first draw.

"I'll set a Monster…"

A facedown Monster appeared in front of her.

"…and I'll end there."

Ben drew, and looked at his hand of six cards.

_Hmm… _he thought. _Interesting…_

"I summon Vairon Vanguard!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a large creature made of gold and silver appeared. It looked mechanical, but was actually a Fairy. It had large, flared shoulders of gold, golden gauntlets, an armored, legless torso with green gemstones, no legs, and one single gem for an eye. (1,400 ATK)

"Next, I play the Equip Spell Vairon Component," he said.

A crown with two pointed spires appeared on the Vanguard's head.

"And that's not all," he continued. "I'll also Equip it with Vairon Material."

The Vanguard's right hand vanished, and a nasty spearhead made of gold appeared in its place. (2,000 ATK)

"Knock yourself out," said Roxy, with a sneer. "My Monster is defending, so I'll take no damage."

"Yes you will," said Ben. "Vairon Component gives my Monster a trampling effect."

Roxy looked stunned. Then she braced herself as Vairon Vanguard flew towards the card. Sangan appeared on it, and Roxy screamed as it was cut in half.

**(B: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,800)**

"_Roxy, you're embarrassing me!" _said Lorelei's voice in her head. _"I gave you a chance, now don't blow it!"_

"Yes ma'am…" said Roxy, nervously.

She got up.

"Due to the effect of Sangan," she said, "I get to take a Monster with a low Attack Score from my deck."

She quickly took a card from her deck.

"To end my turn," said Ben, "I'll play the Continuous Spell Card, Vairon Element."

He played the card, and the Spell appeared on his side of the field.

"It's your move…"

Roxy made a draw.

"I Special Summon Evil Cell of the Inverz!" she shouted.

She played the card, and a small, black scarab beetle appeared in front of her. (0 ATK)

"Special Summon?" asked Ben.

"Because I have no Monsters, this Monster can be Special Summoned," she replied.

She held up a card.

"This Monster is Level 7," she said. "But it can be summoned with only one sacrifice, so long as that sacrifice is an Inverz.

"So I sacrifice my Evil Cell…"

The small beetle turned into a glob of black darkness…

"…to summon Inverz Gilafer!"

The glob burst, and a very ugly demon appeared, one covered with a beetle-like carapace over its muscular torso, with a long, thick tail, and a cannon-like weapon instead of a right hand. (2,600 ATK)

"These Monsters may be Fiends," said Roxy, with a grin, "but I like to call them Insects from Hell!

"Now, I use Gilafer's effect… When Tribute Summoned, I get to send any one of your cards to the Graveyard, and gain 1,000 Life Points as a bonus! And I choose your golden boy!"

Vairon Vanguard vanished into shards of light.

"Now to…" she said.

"Hold it right there!" said Ben. "You activated no less than _three _effects."

"Huh?" said Roxy.

"You see," said Ben, "whenever a face-up Equip Spell with the word 'Vairon' in its name is sent from the field to the Graveyard, I get to take any Spell Card with the word 'Vairon' in its name from my deck."

Two cards appeared in his hand.

"Plus, you activated the effect of Vairon Element," he continued. "Because you destroyed two Vairon Equip Spells by getting rid of Vanguard, I get to Special Summon from my deck one Tuner Monster with the word 'Vairon' in its name per Equip Spell destroyed.

"So say hello to Vairon Stella and Vairon Cube."

Two strange-looking golden objects (whether or not they were creatures was questionable) appeared in front of him. One looked like a three-dimensional star with rings around three of its points, arms on two other points, and orbs in the front that suggested eyes. (200 DEF) The other one, as its name implied, was cubical, with two arms, one foot underneath, and one eye on top, with a glowing golden core in the center. (800 DEF)

Roxy frowned.

"Gilafer, smash that Cube!" she shouted. "Photon cannon!"

Inverz Gilafer fired a bolt of burning plasma from its weapon arm, and the cubical Vairon was blown to pieces.

"I end my turn…" she said.

**(B: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 7,800)**

Ben made a draw.

"I summon Vairon Soldier," he said.

In another flash of light, a Fairy with the same basic shape as the Vanguard appeared. It had abnormally large arms and very large shoulder guards. (1,700 ATK)

"Now, I Tune my Level 4 Vairon Soldier with my Level 3 Vairon Stella…" continued Ben.

The two Vairon flew towards the ceiling and dissolved into golden stars…

"_May the powers that be descend upon from the heavens and engage their eternal foes once more!"_

**(*3 +*4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Vairon Delta!"_

In a flash of energy, a much larger version of Vairon Vanguard appeared, made of platinum with large, metal wings, and golden rings around its lower body. It had a triangular head with a diamond shaped ruby in the center.

It took Roxy a minute to realize something… Unlike the vast majority of Synchros, it was _defending. _(2,800 DEF)

"Hey, boss-lady," she whispered. "You getting all this?"

"_Yes, and I don't like it,"_ replied Lorelei.

"What are these things?" asked Roxy. "They look like Counter Fairies, but they seem to like Equip Spells more than Counter Traps."

"_The Vairon are more than Fairies,"_ replied Lorelei. _"According to Duel Monster lore, they and the Inverz were mortal enemies in an ancient war where the Vairon convinced several other competing factions to join their side against them._

"_The Lavals, the Gem-Knights, the Gishki, and the Gusto were apparently all convinced to join forces under the Vairon's leadership against the Inverz. _

"_I don't know how this guy got that deck, but it seems that the gods of fate are playing tricks with us."_

"I use Stella's effect," said Ben. "Since it went from the field to the Graveyard, I can pay 500 Life Points to Equip it to Delta.

"Then I end my turn, which means because Delta is in Defense Mode, I get to take an Equip Spell from my deck."

A new card appeared in his hand.

**(B: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 7,800)**

"Lovely…" said Roxy, as she made a draw.

_That thing has 2,800 Defense Points… _she thought. _Gonna be a tough nut to crack…_

She quickly set three cards, and three facedown cards appeared, two in her Spell Zone, and one in her Monster Zone.

"I end my turn," she said.

Ben made a draw.

"I summon…" he said, "the Tuner Monster, Vairon Sphere!"

In another flash of light, a smaller mechanical Vairon appeared. As its name suggested, it was spherical, made of gold and silver, with two bright blue eyes and two stubby arms. (400 ATK)

"Enough defending…" said Ben, as his two Monsters flew towards the ceiling. "Time to go on the offense…"

The Tuner and the Synchro turned into a larger cluster of stars…

**(*1 + *7 = *8)**

"Synchro Summon… Vairon Epsilon!"

There was an explosion of divine flames as a much larger Vairon appeared in front of him. Unlike the others, this one was hulking. With its feathered wings that seemed sculpted out of metal, the ring suggesting a halo over its head, and the large golden ring on its back, it looked like a cross between a robot and a true seraphim. (2,800 ATK)

"Heh…" said Roxy, nervously. "That's not good…"

"It's going to get worse," said Ben. "Because next I'm using Vairon Element's effect. See, because the Vairon Stella Equipped to Vairon Delta was destroyed, I get to Special Summon another Tuner to the field.

"I choose Vairon Tetra."

Another geometric shape with eyes and arms appeared next to the large Synchro. This one was in the shape of an upside-down pyramid. (800 DEF)

"Next, I'm Equipping Vairon Material to Vairon Epsilon," he said, as the pointed spearhead appeared in place of Epsilon's right hand. "But then I'm using Epsilon's effect… By sending an Equip Spell Equipped to it to the Graveyard, I can destroy your of your Monsters."

Vairon Material vanished, and Epsilon pointed at Inverz Gilafer…

"I chain-activate my Spell Card!" shouted Roxy, as one of her facedown cards lifted up.

"Invasive Move! Because Gilafer was Tribute Summoned, I can return it to my hand before that effect activates, and then draw one card."

Gilafer vanished, and Roxy made one draw.

"Crud…" said Ben. "Well, I still get to use the effect of Vairon Material, and take another Spell Card from my deck…"

A card appeared in his hand.

"And now Epsilon will attack your other Monster! Divine fires!"

A blast of white-hot flames shot towards the set Monster. Mystic Tomato appeared on the card, and was burned to a crisp.

"Crud… again…" said Ben.

"I use Mystic Tomato's effect to Special Summon Inverz All-Purpose Form," said Roxy.

Another small Inverz appeared, one that consisted of a small head with eyes and a body completely covered with insect-like plates. (1,000 ATK)

Ben quickly played a Spell Card.

"I play Vairon Matter," he said.

Both Vairon Materials and Vairon Component fell out of his discard slot.

"By sending these three Vairon Equip Spells back to my deck and reshuffling, I can draw one card…"

His deck was reshuffled, and he made one draw.

"Next, I Equip Epsilon with Vairon Segment…"

A piece of chest armor emitting rippling energy appeared on the large Synchro.

"So long as its Equipped with this," said Ben, "it can't be targeted by Traps or Effect Monsters… And due to Epsilon's other effect, Equip Spells on it can't be targeted by effects either. So Gilafer isn't going to work this time.

"I end my turn."

Roxy grumbled as she made a draw.

"Is that so?" she said. "Well, at least I have my All-Purpose Form… And when it's sacrificed to summon an Inverz, it counts as two sacrifices.

"So I sacrifice it…"

The small Inverz vanished.

"For Inverz Gasath!"

If the Inverz were truly Insects from Hell, then this one was clearly a little higher on the infernal hierarchy than Gilafer. It was bigger, with a more dangerous-looking exoskeleton, and wings resembling those of a beetle's on its back. Like Gilafer, it had a thick tail, and it also had diabolic horns. (2,800 ATK)

"When Gasath is Tribute Summoned," said Roxy, with a grin, "I can either destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field, or destroy all Monsters except itself.

"I don't want to see any more stupid Tuners, so I'm going to choose Spells and Traps…

"…but… I'm chain-activating my own before that happens…"

Ben's Vairon Segment and Vairon Element shattered, and Roxy's facedown Trap Card lifted up before it shattered as well.

"I use the effect of Vairon Segment to get Vairon Component again," said Ben, as he took another card from his deck. "On my turn, Epsilon will be strong enough to beat that thing."

"Not if _it _trashes Epsilon on _this _turn!" said Roxy with a laugh.

She discarded a card as Gasath glowed with energy. (3,600 ATK)

"HUH?" said Ben.

"That Trap I chain-activated was called Invasive Means," replied Roxy. "By sending an Inverz from my deck to the Graveyard, like Inverz Month, the one on the field gained 800 Attack Points until the end of the turn.

"Now, my Monster attacks! Ruin plague!"

Gasath lifted its wings, and a swarm of locusts, scarabs, and beetles flew at Vairon Epsilon, literally devouring it. Ben could do nothing but watch.

"How do you like that, Green?" laughed Roxy.

Ben just glared at her.

"Heh, heh…" she said. "Too bad Nichole isn't here…

"I'll set these…"

Two facedown cards appeared.

"…and that's all…"

**(B: 6,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 7,800)**

Ben quickly made a draw.

He threw two cards on his Disk, and a Monster and a card in his Spell Zone appeared.

"Move…" he said.

"Gladly…" said Roxy, drawing a card.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" she said, as one of her facedown cards lifted up.

"I'll bring back my little buddy…"

Inverz All-Purpose Form appeared again. (1,000 ATK)

"Now, I'll sacrifice it again…"

Once again, it turned into an orb of darkness…

"…for Inverz Horn!"

The orb burst, and another bug-like demon appeared. This one's exoskeleton looked more like true armor than the others, while still having a beetle-like theme, along with wings. It had two very long downward-pointing horns tipped with barbs on its head, and its hands had nasty claws. (3,000 ATK)

"Unlike most Inverz, I can use this adorable creature's effect once per turn," said Roxy. "I simply pay 1,000 Life Points, and I can destroy one Monster."

Her Life Points slipped by 1,000, and Ben's facedown Monster shattered.

"Now, my Gasath will destroy your last Monster. Get it!"

Once again, the swarm of locusts shot from the demonic bug, eating Vairon Tetra alive.

"And now Inverz Horn will deal with _you!" _

Ben screamed as Horn's two… horns shot at him, doubling in length and stabbing into his chest. He fell to his knees, hearing only Roxy's cruel laughter.

**(B: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,800)**

Slowly, he got up.

"You want to play dirty?" he asked.

He brushed himself off.

"Fine… We'll play dirty…"

He drew a card.

"I activate _my _Call of the Haunted!" he shouted. "Return!"

Vairon Delta appeared in front of him. (1,700 ATK)

"Next, I play the Spell Card, Variety Comes Out," he continued, as he played a Spell. "By sending Delta back to my Extra Deck, I can Special Summon as many Tuners as possible from my Graveyard, so long as their combined Levels are equal to Delta's."

Delta vanished, and then Vairon Cube (800 ATK), Vairon Stella (1,400 ATK), and Vairon Sphere (400 ATK) all appeared in front of him.

"Big mistake, Green!" laughed Roxy. "You summoned them in Attack Mode… And because you can't Synchro Summon on the turn you use Variety Comes Out, those Monsters are sitting ducks."

"Depends on how lucky you are," said Ben. "I play the Continuous Spell Card, Triangulation."

He played the card, and a Continuous Spell Card appeared behind his Monsters.

"I have three Monsters in Attack Mode, but their combined Attack Scores don't add up to that of your weakest Monster," he explained. "Therefore, so long as that's the case until two of your turns are over, your Monsters can't attack them or target them with their effects.

"Until then, I set one card, and my turn is over…"

A facedown card appeared next to Vairon Elipse.

**(B: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 6,800)**

"Humph…" said Roxy. "So all I need to do is summon a Monster with less than 2,600 Attack Points?"

She drew a card.

_Damn… _she thought.

"Disappointed?" asked Ben.

"What's it to you, Green?" asked Roxy.

She set a card, and a facedown card appeared in her Spell Zone.

"Make your move…"

"Then I draw!" shouted Ben, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

"Just what I needed…" he said with a grin.

"By using its effect, I summon Majestic Mech – Ohka!"

He played the card, and the metallic celestial lion bounded onto the field. (2,400 ATK)

"Of course, that means that Triangulation is destroyed," he said, as the Spell Card burst into bits. "But now, I'm going to summon my most powerful Monster, and to do that, I must make a Double Tuning!"

"Double Tuning?" gasped Roxy.

"A Synchro Summon of a Monster so powerful, it requires two Tuners," replied Ben. "I Tune together my Level 1 Vairon Sphere and my Level 3 Vairon Cube with my Level 6 Majestic Mech – Ohka…"

The three Monsters flew towards the ceiling, and turned into a cluster of glowing stars and then into a blinding light.

"_Let the gates of the Higher Plane open, and a celestial force like none other descend to the mortal world!"_

**(*1 + *3 + *6 = *10)**

"_Synchro Summon… Vairon Omega!"_

In a blinding light, it appeared. A golden creature, mechanical in appearance and cylindrical in shape, with one glowing eye, surrounded by a ring shaped like the Greek letter Ω. It had black, feathered wings on its back. (3,200 ATK)

"Thirty-two hundred Attack Points?" gasped Roxy.

"And that's not all," said Ben. "When it's summoned, all Monsters on the field that were Normal Summoned are automatically destroyed."

A beam of energy shot from Vairon Omega's one eye, slicing Inverz Gasath and Inverz Horn into pieces like a laser cutter.

"No…" said Roxy, in fright.

One of her facedown cards lifted up.

"I activate Nightmare Wheel!"

"And I will counter it with Dark Bribe!" exclaimed Ben, as his facedown card lifted up.

The Trap Card shattered. Roxy nervously looked at the huge Fairy as she made one draw.

"I'm only getting started," continued Ben. "I activate the effects of both Cube and Sphere. Sphere's effect lets me pay 500 Life Points to Equip it to Omega…"

Sphere appeared behind Omega.

"…while Cube's effect lets me take any Equip Spell at all from my deck."

He took a card from his deck.

"Now I'll use Omega's second effect and Equip Cube to it as well."

Vairon Cube appeared behind Omega as well.

"And finally, I'll Equip both Mage Power and Vairon Component to Vairon Omega."

He played the two Equip Spells, and Omega glowed with golden fire.

"With two actual Equip Spells, two Monsters acting as Equip Spells, and Call of the Haunted… Well, see for yourself."

(6,700 ATK)

Roxy gulped.

"Attack her directly!" ordered Ben. "Judgment of Omega!"

"I activate… Corrupted Life!" screamed Roxy, as her last facedown card lifted up. "I toss one Fiend-Type Monster from my hand with zero Defense Points…"

She discarded Inverz Gilafer.

"…and I gain 500 Life Points for each card you have on the field! So I gain 3,500 Life Points as a buffer!"

She smiled briefly as she glowed with a dark aura… But then she screamed bloody murder as Omega's divine lightning plowed into her.

Roxy got up, slowly. She was a mess. Her clothes were in tatters, and her hair was all over the place.

"Man…" she groaned. "I haven't… felt this… bad since… since my initiation into the Blue Serpents…"

She remembered _that _day. Sven had been in a good mood, but it still had been pretty rough.

Ben looked at her and sighed.

"Man, I kinda feel sorry about this…" he said. "Stella… Be easy on her, okay?"

Vairon Stella shot a stream of energy stars at Roxy, knocking her flat on her back.

**(B: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 2,200)**

"_Get up, Roxy!" _demanded Lorelei. _"If you surrender, you'll face the worst punishment I can conceive!"_

"Give me a minute…" groaned Roxy.

She slowly pulled herself to her feet.

"Boy, Green, that was intense…" she said, with a weak smile. "If Lorelei's homunculus hadn't been helping me, that attack would have struck me dead…

"You know, I might be interested in a little one-on-one once this duel is over, if you know what I mean…"

Ben frowned.

"On second thought, I don't feel sorry for you at all," he said. "Make your move…

"And just a warning, Omega has one other effect…

"If you activate a Monster Effect, it can ditch one of its Equip Spells to negate that effect and send the Monster packing."

Roxy looked at the three cards in her hand.

"A built-in Divine Wrath, huh?" she said. "Well, here goes…"

She drew a card.

"I activate Pot of Avarice," she said, as she played a Spell Card.

She took Sangan, Mystic Tomato, Inverz Horn, Inverz Gasath, and Inverz Gilafer from her discard slot, and fit them into her deck. The deck was reshuffled.

She slowly made two draws.

She looked at her new hand.

Then she played another Spell Card.

"I play Recurring Nightmare," she said. "By means of this Spell Card, I get to take two Dark Monsters from my Graveyard, so long as both of them have a Defense Score of zero, and I think I still have two that qualify."

She took Evil Cell of the Inverz and Inverse All-Purpose Form from her discard slot, and looked at them.

_What is she up to? _thought Ben. _She can't defend with those… My Monster has Vairon Component, it has a trampling effect._

"Thanks for telling me about Omega's final effect," said Roxy, with a grin. "Now I know enough to play this…"

She threw a card into her Disk.

"Giant Trunade!"

A storm blew across the field, and Vairon Sphere, Vairon Cube, Mage Power, Vairon Component, and Call of the Haunted all blew off the field and reappeared in Ben's hand. He stood dumbfounded as Omega fell down to its base Attack Score of 3,200.

"So…" she said, "now that your Omega can't prevent it, I Special Summon Evil Cell of the Inverz once again…"

Evil Cell of the Inverz appeared in front of her. (0 ATK)

"Now," said Roxy, as she played a yet another Spell Card, "I play Inferno Reckless Summon!"

She played the card, and two more Evil Cells appeared to either side of the first one. (0 ATK x2)

Roxy chuckled as she looked at one of her remaining cards.

"Too bad…" she said. "Too bad… I was saving you… I wanted Nichole to be the first to feel your wrath…

"Ah, well… 'If wishes were fishes', as they say…

"I sacrifice all three of my Inverz…"

The three Cells disappeared, and a tempest of dark energy shot up from the central point…

There was a loud roar, and the goliath of Inverz stepped out of the flaming tower of energy. Standing twenty feet tall, it looked like a demonic beetle, as the others did, but its armor was covered from head to toe with sharp horns and spikes. (3,200 ATK)

"Meet Inverz Greys," said Roxy. "Because your Omega has no Equips, I can safely use its effect, and it's a doozy…

"By paying half my Life Points, it can destroy every card on the field except itself!"

Ben stepped back in shock as Vairon Omega and Vairon Stella erupted into flames and then burst into shards.

He was defenseless…

"I love doing this…" said Roxy. "Inverz Greys, let him have it!"

The giant Fiend roared, and lifted its huge claw. Ben wanted to run, but there was nowhere to run to…

He screamed as the claw fell… He felt pain, and then a sudden surge of cold as he started to black out…

**(B: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (R: 1,100)**

Roxy took a deep breath and held her chest. That had been one intense duel. That blow from Vairon Omega had hit her harder than Nichole's Amazons ever had.

Then she realized something. Ben was gone. So was Lorelei's dark homunculus.

Her cell phone rang. She answered it.

"What happened Roxy?" demanded Lorelei. "I lost visual just as you struck the final blow."

"Uh, he's gone," said Roxy. "Your homunculus is gone too, that's probably why you lost visual…

"But I won! I beat the guy! I did what you wanted me to…"

Lorelei paused.

"You did well…" she said. "Take the rest of the night off… Go to the rec room or something."

A portal opened behind Roxy. She shrugged, and walked through it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the observation room, Lorelei hung up.

She turned to her colleges.

"How could he have just vanished?" she asked.

"Maybe the blow was too much for him, and he didn't survive," replied Tiberius. "I've heard stories about that guy… Bits and pieces, mostly… I heard that the curse he's under sometimes transports him to another location before he's reborn. He may not be in the Temple anymore."

"Oh, he's still here…" grumbled Lareth. "I felt something funny when I first saw that weird green elf, and I'm still feeling it."

"We'll find him…" replied Tiberius. "Nothing stays hidden from me in this place for long. For now, let's hope that the rest of our welcoming committee is as good as Roxy was."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Lareth had thought that no-one would ever find Minerva. That cavernous temple had been considered cursed ground for years, and no-one had set foot inside since the Knights of Domiel had taken it down. Leaving Minerva here all alone in this dark temple surrounded by the dead to waste away and starve to death was the cruelest fate that the sadistic Doomdreamer could think of.

However, he had underestimated how much the leadership of the group kept tab on its members. As previously said, the Knights of Domiel were a small organization, and after Minerva hadn't reported back for a few hours or responded to their calls, her fellow members used their various methods of tracking to look for her. It took them twenty hours, but they had indeed found where she was.

The throne was actually meant to hold sacrificial victims, and was not made to release a victim. When Demogorgon took notice, he would consume the victim's life energy, which turned the victim to dust.

Minerva was spared this fate because Lareth had technically been the one making the offering. Demogorgon was _definitely _not on good terms with Tharizdun and would never accept an offering left by a Doomdreamer. (Neither of his two personalities would, in fact.) He was one of many powerful demon lords whose worshippers had been fooled on many occasions into joining large cults with grandiose temples that they believed would be serving their lord, but which actually were dedicated to Tharizdun alone. The Dark God thought nothing about gaining worshippers by stealing them, and that tended to make other gods furious.

Still the throne still grabbed anyone who sat in it. Because of this, her allies were simply cutting through the bonds with a butane torch, which made her nervous.

"Just relax, Minerva," said the one who was working on it. "Just a few more…"

"Yeah, you try relaxing in this place," grumbled Minerva, who wasn't in the best of moods.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" asked someone else, who was studying the object he had given her with some equipment. (She had glanced at it; it looked like a simple cube made of crystal.)

"Only my pride…" said Minerva, with a sigh. "I guess I was lucky."

"Well, he kept his word, all right," said the one who was studying the artifact. "We'll do some more thorough tests of course, but I'm about ninety-nine percent certain right now that this is indeed the Celestial Configuration. And being in the hands of Evil for so long does not seem to have weakened its power at all.

"I can't believe he returned it."

The one with the torch broke through the last bonding, and Minerva stood up.

"Why not?" she asked. "What's the harm in returning it when the apocalypse is at hand?"

"Pardon?" asked the other Knight, as he turned off the torch.

"The Dark God's cult is up to something big," said Minerva. "I don't know if what they're planning to do actually has the capability to release Tharizdun, but they certainly believe that it does, and they're pulling out all the stops to go forward…

"Whatever Domonous promised to do, I hope it works…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TRIANGUATION (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Gishki Vanity, Tender of the Laval Volcano, and Gem-Knight Sapphire all bravely standing up to Inverz Horn.

**Card Description: **You opponent may not declare an attack or select any of your Monsters as targets fort the effects of Effect Monsters. Destroy this card unless you do not control at least three face-up Monsters, and their combined ATK is not less than the ATK of your opponent's face-up Monster with the lowest ATK. At your opponent's second End Phase after this card's activation, destroy this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CORRUPTED LIFE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Inverz Gasath rising out of the Spring of Rebirth, under a darkened sky on a wasteland.

**Card Description: **If you control no Monsters, you can activate this card during your opponent's turn by discarding a Fiend-Type Monster with 0 DEF from your hand. Gain 500 Life Points for each card your opponent controls.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Dugan: The ghostly homunculus that grabbed me has taken me to a creepy room where a blasphemous experiment is underway. This place would give any living creature chills, but my opponent is NOT a living creature – it's Jeremy Skull, now being supported by the dark homunculus given to him by Tiberius.**_

_**I'd like to say that I beat him once, I can do it again, but I had home court advantage then… And in this place where vile magic permeates the walls, the advantage is clearly his. **_

"_**Dark Experiment; The Chamber of Hate" is coming soon. **_


	42. The Chamber of Hate

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Dark Experiment**

**The Chamber of Hate**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As thunder rumbled, Police Commissioner Warren Spanning stepped onto a podium in front of a drove of reporters in front of City Hall. District Attorney Karen Mathews stood behind him.

"I'll make a brief statement," said the old veteran of the Chicago Police Department. "We've taken a few actions to investigate this strange structure.

"The police have tried approaching it with boats, but an odd current best described as an inverted rip tide is preventing crafts from approaching, and is making that means of access unsafe.

"I've also been told that an odd weather pattern that seems to be centralized around the structure itself makes approach by helicopter a very risky proposal that we are reluctant to try.

"However… With the help of the DA, I have uncovered some leads towards finding out who may be ultimately behind this, and we are working with local, state, and national authorities towards this end. I would like the good citizens of Chicago to remain alert, but to _not panic. _

"We are doing all we can to solve this crisis, and it will be solved…"

_If not by you, then by someone… _thought the DA, who wasn't as much in the dark as most folks were. _I hope…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Dugan got up, rubbing his head.

He quickly got to his feet, and lifted his blunderbuss.

As he looked around, fear started to creep into him. As strange as all the things he had seen in his time, this was one of the strangest.

Each wall of the strange room was covered with two rows of vertically suspended men, encased in cocoons made of green metal so that only their heads and hands were visible. The height of the room, from floor to ceiling, was about twenty feet, and the walls had ominous vein-like cracks in them. Four of these men in cocoons, two above two, were placed at every twenty-foot interval.

It took him a minute to realize that these men were all identical. They were all bald, without even any eyelashes or eyebrows, and their expressions were twisted into scowls.

The door was on the far wall, a large, wooden door that looked very solid.

Dugan cautiously approached one of the sets of four men, not lowering his weapon.

"What the devil is this place?" he whispered.

"Better stay away from there…" said a voice. "Those things are dangerous."

Dugan spun around, and saw a familiar face. He frowned.

"Jeremy Skull," he said, looking at the bony assassin. "I heard you broke out of the slammer…

"Mind telling me what the Hell is going on here? Who are these men?"

"This is an experiment," said Jeremy. "One that's been going on for a long time…"

He chuckled a little.

"I don't know all the details myself…" he said, "but here's what I do know… You see, fifty years ago, there was a powerful Doomdreamer named Unariq. He was _incredibly _powerful, so much that some were saying he might have become one of the leaders of the cult if a slot became available. He prepared a mighty ritual that he believed would release the Dark God from his prison.

"But it failed. Unariq's ritual, well… It kinda blew up in his face.

"Optimistic members of this cult think that he was imprisoned along with his god. Pessimistic members think that the failed ritual simply vaporized him. Long story short, he disappeared, and was never seen again.

"But before that happened, he had himself cloned using necromancy. The power of evil and hatred inside him was so great, that even these lifeless clones ooze power.

"Tiberius's predecessor thought that the power could be harnessed, and some sort of use could be gotten from it… Tiberius took over when he took over this temple."

"Tiberius is trying to use _hate _as a source of energy?" said Dugan, with a look of disbelief.

Jeremy shrugged.

"Hey, I never said I personally thought it would work…" he replied. "By the way, don't try running for the door. A magic spell of some sort is keeping it closed."

Dugan looked at him.

_He's far more articulate than he was last time… _he thought.

He looked around.

_This chamber and its blasphemous experiment obviously reek of vile magic… Dark sorcery of the worst kind… Being in such places makes undead smarter and stronger… _

_And that's bad… Jeremy was a tough customer in the first place…_

"Those cocoons…" he said. "Baatoran green steel, right?"

"Probably…" said Jeremy.

The dark homunculus that grabbed Dugan appeared beside Jeremy. He slipped a Duel Disk onto his arm.

"But my friend here and I have you cornered…" said the skeleton. "Time for a rematch, Shadow Duel style…"

"What is that thing?" asked Dugan.

"A dark homunculus…" said Jeremy. "A little gift from Tiberius to give this duel some extra kick."

Dugan put his blunderbuss down. He knew from their last encounter that it was worthless against Jeremy…

Then he noticed something curious. One of the clones, one situated on the wall right behind Jeremy, was not part of a set of four. It was by itself.

_Odd… _he thought.

"Fine…" he said.

He lifted his left arm, and activated his Duel Disk.

"You may be stronger here, but I'm not afraid of you…"

He looked at the clone that was by itself. He doubted that Jeremy would let him past, even if he won the duel, but an idea was starting to form about a way to cross that bridge once it came.

Still, Jeremy smiled inwardly as he looked at his deck.

_He's probably expecting me to use my Skull Servant Deck, _he thought. _Well, I learned my lesson… With this guy, I can't depend on Monsters that he can so easily destroy with effects…_

_With this new deck, I can use the power of his Scrap Dragon against him!_

**(Dugan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Jeremy: 8,000)**

"I draw one card…" said Jeremy.

He made a draw.

"First, I'll defend with this…" he said, as he set a Monster.

"Then, I'll play Foolish Burial."

The Spell Card materialized in front of him.

"Since you play a Scrap Deck, I'm certain you know how that works…"

He took a card, and discarded it.

"And that will do it for now…"

Dugan drew a card.

_Probably Pyramid Turtle… _he thought. _Well, here goes…_

He threw a card on his Disk, and Scrap Beast appeared with a snarl. (1,600 ATK)

"Attack! Junkyard frenzy!"

The Beast pounced, and Giant Rat appeared on the card. Dugan raised an eyebrow as it was crushed.

"I use Giant Rat's effect…" said Jeremy. "I summon… Moja!"

With a squeak, a _little _Monster appeared. It looked like a small, black blob with a yellow face that had two beady eyes and a small mouth. It had two tufts of hair on the top. (100 ATK)

"Eh?" said Dugan. "Somehow, you didn't strike me as the type who'd use cute Monsters…"

He set a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"I end my turn…"

"Heh, heh…" said Jeremy, as it made a draw. "Sure it's cute… But all animals are when they're young, aren't they? When they grow up, they aren't so cute any more.

"And Moja is going to grow up fast. You see, by sacrificing it…"

The small Beast turned into an orb of light.

"I can Special Summon its mature form! I summon the King of the Beasts!" 

With a roar, a huge Beast towered over Dugan and his Monster. It was a giant thing, covered with shaggy, black hair, with a skull-like face, and four long legs that looked like they were made of bones. (2,500 ATK)

"King of the Beasts?" asked Dugan. "So what's Behemoth?

"Come to think of it, where does that put Barbaros?"

Jeremy lifted his finger and started to say something.

Then he realized he didn't have an answer.

"Ah, who cares?" he asked. "My Monster's gonna attack."

King of the Beasts opened its jaws, and a ball of energy shot from it, blowing Scrap Beast to shards of metal.

Then Dugan was startled as the eyes of all the clones in the room started to glow red…

…all except the one behind Jeremy, the one that was alone. That one's eyes glowed with black fire.

Then a bolt of black flames shot at Dugan, hitting him in the chest. He cried out in pain.

"Forgot to mention!" laughed Jeremy. "Tiberius asked me to use this Shadow Duel to give the experiment a little test run!

"So tell me… Does the energy that the hate these clones are generating cause sufficient pain?"

"Get stuffed…" groaned Dugan.

"I'll take that as a yes…" chuckled Jeremy. "I set two cards facedown and my turn is over."

Two hidden cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

**(D: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 8,000)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In Paris, France, it was ten-thirty PM, local time.

The Jules Verne restaurant was one of the best places to eat in the city, and one of the most expensive. But what would one expect from the restaurant on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower? Getting reservations to this place was hard for most, but it was remarkably easy for the well-dressed man who was leaving right now with his date.

Maximilian Galti, the CEO, president, and founder of Technology Research Unlimited Enterprises.

He was about fifty years old or so, but looked younger. He had a trendy haircut and a boyish face with a slim moustache. His suit was Italian (and custom-tailored, of course) as were his shoes, and his outfit concealed a muscular frame.

The woman by his side was considerably younger, wearing a black evening dress and a fur sole.

"That was wonderful, Max," she said, as they walked towards a waiting limousine. "There are so few men these days who truly know how to treat a lady."

"Madame, the pleasure was all mine," said Galti. "I just hope that…"

Then his cell phone beeped. A text message.

He frowned as he looked at it. Then the frown turned into a look of shock for a split second, before his pleasant expression return.

"Gladys, my dear," he said to the woman, "I'm afraid something vital has come up that requires my immediate attention…"

"Oh, pooh…" she said, sadly.

"Here, take the limo," he said, as he opened the door. "It shouldn't be hard to get a taxi in this city. I'll call you tomorrow."

He closed the door, and then hurried over to the chaffer's window.

"After you take the young lady home," he whispered to the chaffer, "get to the office building pronto. I may need a ride soon."

"Is there a problem sir?" asked the chaffer.

"My assistant says there's a class-12 emergency involving our company," replied Galti.

"That's bad, right?" asked the chaffer.

"Let me put it this way," said Galti. "There's no such thing as a class-13 emergency."

As the limo drove off, he quickly flagged down a cab.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"I draw one card…" said Dugan.

He drew from his deck. He quickly added the card to his hand and chose another one.

"I play One for One!" he exclaimed, as he played a Spell Card.

He discarded Scrap Goblin, and Scrap Mind Reader appeared in front of him. (0 ATK)

"Then, I sacrifice Mind Reader…"

The small robot vanished into grains of light.

"…for Scrap Golem!"

The large, bulky robot appeared in Scrap Mind Reader's place. (2,300 ATK)

"Next, I use Golem's effect to summon Goblin to the field."

The small Beast-Warrior made of junk appeared next to the Golem. (0 ATK)

"Then I Tune my two Monsters together…"

The two Scraps flew towards the ceiling, turning into a cluster of stars.

**(*3 + *5 = *8)**

Scrap Dragon loomed over the field with a roar. (2,800 ATK)

"Oh dear…" moaned Jeremy. "My King of the Beasts is history…"

"You got that right…" said Dugan. "I destroy my set Trap Card to destroy your King of the Beasts!"

Dugan's facedown Scrap Crash shattered, and Scrap Dragon blasted its violet flames, roasting the huge Beast.

"Sucker!" laughed Jeremy. "Because you just destroyed a Beast-Type Monster, I can pay 1,000 Life Points to Special Summon the Monster I sent to the Graveyard with Foolish Burial!" 

With a roar, a Beast that was just as big as the previous one rose onto the field. It was a huge ape with green fur and a thick beard, wearing a leather jacket and holding a big wooden club. (2,600 ATK)

"Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest?" said Dugan.

"That's right!" laughed Jeremy.

Dugan frowned.

"A minor inconvenience…" he said. "Scrap Dragon, attack with Toxic Blaze!"

Scrap Dragon roared again.

"I activate… Rush Recklessly!" shouted Jeremy.

Dugan gasped as Green Baboon's Attack Score rose to 3,300. It roared even louder, and clobbered Scrap Dragon with its club, crushing it into broken pieces of metal.

The clones in the room reacted again, and the one behind Jeremy blasted Dugan again. He groaned in pain.

He took a deep breath.

"I use Scrap Dragon's effect…" he muttered. "I summon Scrap Goblin in Defense Mode…"

Scrap Goblin appeared, shielding itself. (500 DEF)

"Then I move to my second Main Phase, and use Scrap Mind Reader's effect, and summon that in Defense Mode as well."

Scrap Mind Reader appeared, covering itself with its telephone arm. (0 DEF)

"And I end my turn…"

**(D: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 7,000)**

"This is certainly fun," said Jeremy, as he made a draw.

His other facedown card lifted up.

"I activate the Trap Card, Next to be Lost. By playing this card, I select one Monster I have on the field, and send one in my deck with the same name to the Graveyard."

He took a second Green Baboon from his deck, and discarded it.

_Good lord… _thought Dugan. _If I destroy the Baboon on the field with a card effect, I'll just have another one to deal with!_

"Next, I summon Voltic Kong," continued Jeremy.

A smaller gorilla with golden fur, surrounded by an aura of electricity appeared next to Green Baboon.

"I'd like to say I'm going to junk your Monsters… But heck, they're already junk!"

Voltic Kong blasted a bolt of lightning at Scrap Mind Reader, incinerating the small Machine.

Then Green Baboon brought its club down on Scrap Goblin. It didn't shatter, but as it backed off, Jeremy waved his hand, and it fell apart.

"I use Scrap Goblin's effect," said Dugan.

Scrap Beast slipped out of his discard slot, and he added it to his hand.

"Whatever…" said Jeremy. "It's your move…"

Dugan drew a card.

It was Scrap Chimera.

_Perfect… _he thought.

"I summon, Scrap Chimera!" he shouted, as the large mythical Beast made of scrap metal appeared. (1,700 ATK)

"Then I use its effect to bring back Scrap Goblin again."

Goblin appeared once more. (0 ATK)

"Now, I can Tune my Monsters together again…"

Once more, the two Monsters flew towards the ceiling…

"_Deep within the junkyard, an ominous portal to the Underworld opens! Soul of a demon, body of debris and cast-iron, rise from the infernal pits below!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Archfiend!"_

The large demon floated down into position, crossing its arms and looking at Jeremy with disgust. (2,700 ATK)

"Attack Green Baboon!" shouted Dugan. "Blazing Bolts!"

Energy beams flashed from Scrap Archfiend's eyes, reducing the large primate to a pile of ashes.

Once again, the clones in the room took notice.

"Let's see how you like it," said Dugan.

The clone behind Jeremy shot its dark beams, hitting Jeremy this time…

"I absolutely love it!" laughed the assassin. "In case you didn't notice, Dugan, I'm undead. Things like despair, anger, and hate most of all only fuel me. They give me strength…

"I'd say they were my life blood, if I had any fluid in my body…

"The point is, dark and negative emotions are the meat and wine of folks like me… It is what created us, and it is what sustains us…"

"You're one twisted sickster…" said Dugan. "At least you can't summon your other Green Baboon because I destroyed that one via battle…"

"True," said Jeremy, "but when you destroy a Beast via battle, I can remove two Beasts in my Graveyard from play to summon someone from my hand who's the next best thing…"

Moja and Giant Rat appeared behind him, and then vanished into ripples of light…

Then another large ape appeared on the field, this one with yellow fur and a black mane, wearing the same cloak as Green Baboon, holding a bow and arrow. (2,600 ATK)

"Meet Green Baboon's younger brother," said Jeremy. "Yellow Baboon, Archer of the Forest."

_This is not good… _thought Dugan.

"I end my turn…" he said.

**(D: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 6,900)**

Jeremy made a draw.

"I first set a Monster," he said, as a hidden Monster appeared.

Then he played the last card in his hand, a Spell Card.

"Next, I play Wild Nature's Release," he continued. "Watch, as Voltic Kong's Defense Score is added to its Attack Score."

Voltic Kong roared in pure bloodlust. (2,800 ATK)

"Which means it can demolish your Archfiend! Attack with primal thunder shock!"

Voltic Kong lifted it arms, and threw a massive lightning bolt at the metal Fiend, blowing it to shards of slag.

"That means its effect activates," said Jeremy, "and you lose one card from your deck for each Light-Attribute Monster I have."

Dugan scowled and discarded the top card from his deck, Foolish Burial.

"Time to strut your stuff, Yellow Baboon!" laughed Jeremy, as the larger ape drew back its bow. "Attack Major Dugan directly!"

Dugan gasped in shock and pain as the arrow struck him in the chest. But he felt even more pain when the clone blasted him again, knocking him down.

"Hate is a powerful weapon, isn't it?" asked Jeremy. "Remember when you humiliated me by knocking me into my component bones and stuffing my skull into a bowling ball bag?

"All I could think about when you shipped me to the lock-up was how much I hated you for that humiliation. And as I sat in my cell, kept there by a warded magical circle, I kept hating you.

"I kept thinking about the skeleton key I had hidden in my ribcage, and how I was going to use it to get out, and how I would savor my revenge, paying you back for that humiliating loss and letting all my hate out on you at once!"

"Good lord, man," said Dugan, as he got up, "you must have serious problems if this is how you relate to people."

"I'm a skeleton," said Jeremy. "It's not like I can go see a psychiatrist about it…

"I end my turn… Which means that, due to the side effect of Wild Nature's Release, Voltic Kong is destroyed…"

The electric ape shattered.

"But that's a _good _thing, you know why? Because it means I can pay 1,000 Life Points to summon a Green Baboon from my Graveyard again!"

Green Baboon appeared next to his brother. (2,600 ATK) The two large apes glared at Dugan.

**(D: 3,900) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 5,900)**

_Lovely… _thought Dugan. _Double trouble…_

He made a draw.

"I set a Monster and a facedown card," he said, as two set cards appeared.

"And I end my turn…"

Jeremy chuckled as he made a draw.

"You make this too easy, Dugan," he said. "This is like target practice…

"My Yellow Baboon attacks first…"

Yellow Baboon shot its arrow, impaling Scrap Beast. The Tuner exploded.

"Next, Green Baboon attacks directly! Hammer Club Death Blow!"

Dugan braced himself as the huge primate closed in on him, but it was like trying to brace yourself against a freight train. The smash from Green Baboon's club threw him back a good ten feet.

The clone didn't even wait for him to get up before blasting him again. All he managed this time was a weak moan.

"Next," said Jeremy, "I flip Sweet Corn into Attack Mode…"

"Huh?" moaned Dugan, sitting up. "Sweet Corn?"

He sat up, and saw the Monster Jeremy had Flip-Summoned. It looked like a large ear of corn with a big smile. (0 ATK)

"I know, it looks weird," said Jeremy, "but by paying 500 Life Points during this, my second Main Phase, I can Special Summon a Grain Corn Token…"

What looked like a single kernel of corn appeared next to Sweet Corn. (0 ATK)

"Then I sacrifice Sweet Corn and my Token…"

The two Monsters turned into an orb of shimmering energy.

"…to summon Green Baboon's _older _brother… Ancient Crimson Ape!"

To Dugan's horror, a third huge ape appeared next to the other two. It looked like Green Baboon, with red fur and a golden beard and mane, also holding a club. (2,600 ATK)

"I end my turn, Dugan… Next round, my barrel of monkeys is going to finish this duel…"

**(D: 1,300) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 5,400)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The central headquarters of Technology Research Unlimited Enterprises in Paris was almost deserted at this time of night…

But no-one was going to stop the boss as he made his way to his office on the top floor.

Once he got there, he opened the door with a hand-print identification lock, and entered the large, luxurious room. As he entered, the lights, air conditioner, and electronic devices went on automatically.

He sat on his desk, and turned on his video phone. A younger man's face that looked tired through a pair of glasses appeared on it.

"What's going on, Louis?" said Galti. "What's the emergency?"

"It's really bad, chief," said the assistant. "The President just called…"

"President of what?" asked Galti.

"Of the United States!" replied Louis. "Something is happening in Chicago, and they say our company is responsible.

"Turn on the news and see for yourself…"

Galti pressed a control pad on his desk, and a big-screen TV across the room turned on. After hitting a few buttons, CNN came on, and he saw the coverage of the ominous tower in Lake Michigan.

"Folks are saying that the people in our Chicago branch are members of a demonic cult," said Louis, "and that they're behind this!"

"Hold on… hold on…" said Galti. "I put Bronson in charge of hiring the staff for that branch…"

"I tried reaching Bronson, sir…" said Louis. "We thought he had been on an extended vacation, but… He's gone…"

"Gone?" asked Galti.

"Vanished!" replied Louis. "It's as if he disappeared off the face of the Earth!"

Bronson had been a member of Galti's Board of Directors. He had seemed a typical member; a child of rich parents, who graduated from Princeton with degrees in business and finance…

What most folks didn't know about Bronson was that he was a member of the Beloved, a secretive group of occultists and followers of Wee Jas, a Shadowkind goddess whose portfolio included death and magic. People who knew of the Beloved often called them "The Aristocrats of the Occult", a moniker that clearly fit, as only rich and influential young people joined. Traditionally, worship of Wee Jas included blood sacrifices, but the Beloved were not the type to kidnap people and tie them to an altar for an offering. To them, that was crude, and they knew of better ways to give their goddess her gifts.

Instead, they used influence, bribery, and sometimes blackmail to make sure that factories, refineries, and landfills that ignored regulations were unmolested by health and safety inspectors, and that dangerous drugs and foods got past the FDA and into the open market quickly. It was rumored that no less than half of all appealing tobacco advertising campaigns had their hand in them when they were legal in the United States.

To that end, Bronson had hired Tiberius as the regional manager of the Chicago branch, after Tiberius had promised to keep the Beloved's interests in mind…

But no-one would find Bronson now. Only one month ago, he had found out who Tiberius was really working for. Knowing that not even Wee Jas would approve of an alliance with Tharizdun, he had tried to warn someone, but agents of the Triad had got to him first. His body was now lying at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

"Call my legal team," said Galti, "then tell whoever you were told to get back to that I'm willing to tell them what I know."

He looked at the broadcast.

"Thing is… I honestly know very little…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Dugan looked at the three large gorillas in front of him.

Then he looked at the two cards in his hand, and the one card he had set on the field.

_I thought I was in a bad situation before… _he thought. _This has gone past bad, past terrible, and pretty close to hopeless…_

_But I'm not dead yet…_

He drew a card.

Pot of Avarice…

_Should I go with this? _he thought. _If I used it, I'd have no Monsters in my Graveyard…_

_And without summoning from my Graveyard, I don't think I'll be able to summon what I need to take those three things down…_

"By all means, take your time," sighed Jeremy. "I'll just take a little nap while you're thinking about what to do…"

"Can it," said Dugan. "You've pushed me to my limit, Jeremy, so I have no choice but to take a risk."

He took a card from his hand.

"I summon an ape of my own… Meet Scrap Kong."

He played a card, and a Monster that appeared was indeed an ape made out of scrap. It had an old oil drum for a torso, a large gripping claw for a right hand, and a chainsaw for a left hand. (2,000 ATK)

"Eh?" said Jeremy. "Never seen that before…"

"Most folks who use Scrap Decks don't use it," said Dugan. "But I do see uses for it. You see, when it's Normal Summoned, it destroys itself…"

Scrap Kong started to sizzle and smoke. Jeremy laughed out loud.

"No wonder most folks who use Scrap Decks don't use it!" he laughed. "That's the dumbest effect I've ever heard of!"

Dugan quickly played a Spell Card.

"But if I play Scrapstorm," he said, "the Spell Card will destroy it first…

"But not before I use Scrapstorm's effect. I get to send a Monster from my deck to my Graveyard, and then draw a card."

He discarded a second Scrap Beast, reshuffled his deck, and made a draw.

Scrap Kong shattered into pixels.

"And now, due to Scrap Kong's effect, since it was destroyed by a card with the word 'Scrap' in its name, I get to take any Scrap Monster I want from my Graveyard."

Scrap Chimera slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"And just how do you intend to summon it?" laughed Jeremy. "You only get one Normal Summon per turn."

"I told you, I was taking a risk," said Dugan.

He played a card, and Pot of Avarice appeared in front of him.

"Let's see if it pays of…"

He took Scrap Dragon, Scrap Archfiend, Scrap Golem, Scrap Goblin, and one Scrap Beast from his discard slot. The five cards were shuffled back into his deck, and he made two draws.

He looked at them.

"So…" said Jeremy. "Did you get the card you needed?"

Dugan looked at him.

"Come on…" said the assassin. "Don't keep me waiting…"

Dugan played one of the cards.

"Double Summon?" gasped Jeremy.

"That's right," said Dugan. "I can make _two _Normal Summons this turn. So let's bring back Scrap Chimera!"

Chimera bounded onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"And you know what that means…" he continued.

Scrap Beast appeared next to Scrap Chimera. (1,600 ATK)

The two Scraps flew towards the ceiling.

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

With a roar, Scrap Dragon appeared again. (2,800 ATK)

"Bring it on!" shouted Jeremy. "I'm not scared of your Dragon!"

"You will be," replied Dugan, as his facedown card lifted up. "I activate Widespread Dud!

"When I activate this Trap Card, I have to choose two Monsters that are in Attack Mode, so I'll choose Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest, and Yellow Baboon, Archer of the Forest.

"Now… I'll use Scrap Dragon's effect, and destroy Widespread Dud to destroy Ancient Crimson Ape!"

The Trap Card shattered, and the Dragon belched its violet flames. Ancient Crimson Ape roared, and then exploded into pixels.

"I pay 1,000 Life Points to summon my other Green Baboon from the Graveyard!" shouted Jeremy.

The second Green Baboon appeared next to the first. (2,600 ATK)

"You don't say?" replied Dugan. "Well, when Widespread Dud is destroyed, so are the two Monsters that I chose when I activated it!"

Jeremy gasped. Then an explosion detonated on his side of the field, blowing his Yellow Baboon and his first Green Baboon to particles.

"Wait, can't we talk about this?" he said, starting to panic.

"You hate me, huh?" said Dugan. "Well here's something you'll really hate! Scrap Dragon, destroy his last Baboon!"

Scrap Dragon breathed its Toxic Blaze, incinerating the other Green Baboon. Jeremy's empty eye sockets widened, as if in horror.

**(D: 1,300) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 4,200)**

"Curses…" growled Jeremy, as he clenched a bony fist. "I was so close to finishing you off…

"Why won't you just die?"

"I was a Marine, pal," said Dugan. "We don't die easily. We can be shot, stabbed, clubbed, mortared, and take everything but have a piano dropped on us, and we'll still get up and keep fighting."

He crossed his arms.

"You hate me? Fine… I can live with that… I don't need to be liked by some unholy abomination.

"Make your move…"

Jeremy growled. His eye sockets glowed red.

He drew one card.

"Heh, heh…" he said. "Heh, heh… HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"

"Good draw?" asked Dugan, raising an eyebrow.

"You bet it's a good draw!" laughed Jeremy. "I just drew my most powerful card!

"And all I need to do to summon it is take three Beast-Type Monsters in my Graveyard that are Level 7 or greater, and send them back to my deck."

He took Yellow Baboon, Ancient Crimson Ape, and King of the Beasts, and fit them back in his deck. His deck was reshuffled.

"Now…" he said, as the ground started to rumble, "Feast your eyes on… _**Genius Loci!"**_

A titanic form rose out of the ground in front of Dugan. It was twice as big as any of the previous Beasts, and while it was still ape-like in shape, it seemed to be made more of rocks and soil than it was of flesh. Moss, mold and mushrooms covered it. (3,200 ATK)

Dugan had heard Jalal talk about Genius Loci… What they were supposed to be, anyway. Very few mortals had ever seen one, or at least seen one and survived. They were among the most powerful of nature spirits, similar to ents and dryads. But where a dryad was the spirit of one tree, a Genius Loci was the spirit of a whole forest, or something just as big, like a mountain, lake, or island. They were protective spirits of great power, great intelligence, and were very often hostile to any creatures that were not part of the natural world.

"Genius Loci has a powerful effect," continued Jeremy. "When I summon it, I name one Attribute, and for as long as it's on the field, neither player can Special Summon Monsters of that Attribute that are Level 5 or higher.

"I choose Earth."

"That hurts you as much as it does me," said Dugan. "A lot of your powerful Monsters are Earth."

"Not as much as you think," replied Jeremy.

_He's right… _thought Dugan. _Genius Loci is still a Beast… Which means if I destroy it with a card effect, I'll have Green Baboon to worry about again…_

_And with 3,200 Attack Points, destroying it by battle is going to be hard… Especially if I can't Special Summon my big guns…_

"Genius Loci, destroy Scrap Dragon!" shouted Jeremy. "Earthshaking smash!"

The titanic Beast threw a punch at Scrap Dragon, crushing it like tinfoil.

"ERGH!" grunted Dugan.

Then he grunted again as the clone blasted him.

He took some deep breaths.

"Still… standing…" he said.

"I can still Special Summon low-Level Earth Monsters… I use Scrap Dragon's effect…"

Scrap Beast appeared, sitting in Defense Mode. (1,300 DEF)

"Whatever…" said Jeremy. "I end my turn."

**(D: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 4,200)**

Dugan made a draw.

"I Special Summon Scrap Orthros in Defense Mode," he said.

Orthros appeared, sitting on its hindquarters. (1,100 DEF)

"However, having done that, I have to destroy Scrap Beast."

Scrap Beast shattered into shards.

"But that means Scrap Beast's effect activates, and I get to recover a Scrap Monster from my Graveyard."

He took Scrap Chimera from his Graveyard and looked at it.

_Don't much know what I'll do with it, though, _he thought. _I'm running out of ideas…_

He took another card, and set it in his Disk. A facedown card appeared behind Scrap Orthros.

"I end my turn…"

Jeremy made a draw.

"Well, what do you know?" he said.

He quickly played it.

"Signal Check…" said Dugan with a scowl, as the Spell Card appeared.

"You remember this card, right?" asked Jeremy. "You pick up cards from your deck until you pick up a Monster…"

Dugan picked up one card, then two…

The third was a Monster…

His eyes lit up when he saw what it was.

He turned towards Jeremy, and nodded.

"Now I have to guess which Attribute it is," laughed Jeremy. "If I'm right, they go back to your deck, and I get to draw three cards.

"I guess… Earth!"

He laughed and reached for his deck…

"WRONG!" shouted Dugan.

"Huh?" said Jeremy.

He looked at Dugan, and Dugan turned the card around.

"Top Runner?" gasped Jeremy. "That's Wind!"

"Which means I get to keep these three cards, and you get squat," replied Dugan.

"No fair!" screamed Jeremy.

"It's _completely _fair!" replied Dugan. "I never said that _every _Monster in my deck was Earth. You took a gamble with a risky card, and you lost."

_Could it be possible? _thought Jeremy, as he shook with rage. _Could I actually hate him more now than I did before?_

He pointed, and Genius Loci lunged forward, smashing Scrap Orthros flat.

"You'll still never defeat me!" he cursed.

Dugan made a draw.

"I beg to differ!" he said.

His facedown card lifted up, revealing itself to be Call of the Haunted. Scrap Kong appeared in front of him again. (2,000 ATK)

"Why'd you bring that guy back?" asked Jeremy.

"I'll show you in a minute," said Dugan. "First, I'll also summon Scrap Chimera…"

For the third time, the Chimera appeared on the field. (1,700 ATK)

"…and use its effect to summon Scrap Orthros back to the field."

The two-headed metal beast appeared to the other side of Scrap Kong. (1,700 ATK)

"Now I play… Double Spell!" he exclaimed, as he played a Spell Card. "By sending one other Spell Card in my hand to the Graveyard…"

He discarded Monster Reincarnation.

"I can use one Spell Card in _your _Graveyard."

A card appeared in his hand.

"The card I choose… Wild Nature's Release! And I'll use it on Scrap Kong!"

He played the card, and Scrap Kong glowed with fiery energy. (3,000 ATK)

"Nice try, but it's still not strong enough!" laughed Jeremy.

Dugan smirked, and took another Spell Card from his hand.

"I play Battle-Tuned!" he continued.

Scrap Beast appeared behind him, and then faded into a ripple of light.

"By removing that Tuner from play, Scrap Kong gains its Attack Score."

(4,600 ATK)

Jeremy's empty eye sockets widened again.

"No…" he said. "No… This isn't possible…"

"Oh, but it is…" said Dugan.

Scrap Kong lifted its left arm, and the chainsaw roared to life. It leapt at Genius Loci, and struck it at the midsection with its weapon, sawing the huge Beast in twain. Jeremy Braced himself as the titanic creature burst into dirt and rocks.

"Now, I attack directly with Scrap Chimera and Scrap Orthros," said Dugan. "You're through! Finish him off!" 

The two Beasts exhaled streams of green fire, and Jeremy was knocked backwards…

**(D: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (J: 0)**

The undead assassin slowly got up, and looked at Dugan.

"So you beat me…" he said with a growl.

He lifted his bony hands, and they turned into nasty-looking bone claws.

"Well then… I'll just have to handle you the old-fashioned way…"

Then he noticed that Dugan was holding something. It looked like a metal canister.

"What the Hell is that?" asked Jeremy.

"A new piece of Shadowchasers equipment," said Dugan. "It's a magical demolition bomb, twice as powerful as the average plastic explosive.

"The best feature is the built-in magnet, which lets it bond instantly to any metallic surface."

Jeremy laughed out loud.

"And just how do you intend to plant in on me?" he laughed. "Bones aren't metal, you know…"

Then Dugan hurled the bomb, and his aim seemed to be way off. Jeremy didn't even have to duck.

"Air ball!" laughed Jeremy.

"Guess again," said Dugan, pointing.

Jeremy looked confused.

He turned around.

Then, to his horror, he saw that the bomb had adhered to the cocoon on the clone directly behind him…

"NOOOOO!" he screamed.

As he tried to rush to the clone, Dugan dove for cover. Jeremy didn't even make it halfway there before an explosion rocked the whole chamber.

The lights went out, plunging the room into complete darkness.

Dugan slowly got up. He clicked on the portable flashlight he always kept with him.

The clone had been destroyed, and Jeremy's bones were lying on the floor, inert and unmoving.

He had been right… That clone had been a lynchpin that controlled all the others, and destroying it had nullified the aura of vile magic in the room, which apparently supplied all the power in the room… And judging from Jeremy's current condition, all the other auras of dark magic in the immediate area.

He rushed over to the door to the room, and tried it. It was heavy, but he was able to push it open. The spell that kept it closed was apparently also nullified.

As he started running down the hallway, he hit a button on his cellphone.

"Jalal, can you read me?" he said.

No answer. It was dead.

_Seems we're on our own for now… _he thought. _I'd better try to find Nichole, Karl and Ben…_

_If they received the same greeting I got, they're likely in trouble…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

A sizable force had gathered on the shore of Lake Michigan, unmolested by the police due the DA's orders. Jalal and a troop of Shadowchasers watched the large tower with binoculars.

"Any luck finding Dugan's team?" he asked someone next to him.

"We found their D-Wheels," said the Shadowchaser. "But they're nowhere in sight…"

"We have more problems…" said an Incantifer.

He got up from the lotus position he had been in. The spell he had been trying to cast had apparently failed.

"I can't open a portal to get into that place…" he said. "Apparently, it's protected by a ward similar to the one that protects Shadowchaser Headquarters.

"We can work on breaking through the ward, but I have no idea how long it will take…"

Jalal held his chin.

"Do you think Dugan and his team somehow got in?" asked an officer.

"No…" said Jalal. "They were abducted… I'm sure of it…"

He glared at the tower.

"They were getting too close to finding this place… So to teach them a lesson and prove their power to everyone else, the Doomdreamers revealed this tower early, telling Dugan, Nichole, and Karl where it would appear.

"And when they showed up to see it… They were grabbed…"

"So what do you think's happening to them?" asked the officer.

"I don't know…" said Jalal. "The Doomdreamers might want to use them as hostages…

"But in the deranged minds of the followers of Tharizdun, that's the best case scenario…

"Keep working on trying to find a flaw in the barrier… We're going to crack this defense yet."

The Incantifer nodded.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GENIUS LOCI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 3,200  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except from your hand by returning 3 Level 7 or higher Beast-Type Monsters in your Graveyard to your deck. When this card is successfully Summoned, declare 1 Attribute. Both players cannot Special Summon Monsters that are of the named Attribute that are Level 5 or higher.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Karl: Things sure aren't getting any prettier.**_

_**To one side of me is a foul thing that seems to be the result of combining evil magic of the worst type with technology. I know enough not to want to go near it. **_

_**To my other side is someone I encountered recently… The duelist assassin, Panik. **_

_**Which one is worse? That's questionable. Panik seems to have gotten a great deal more powerful than he was before he was a member of this cult, and it seems that his specialty, dueling by intimidation, has been greatly enhanced. **_

_**It's not the best spot to be in…**_

"_**Hellgears, The Rock and the Hard Place" is coming soon. **_


	43. The Rock and the Hard Place

_For this chapter, I'd like to thank Metal Overlord 2.0 for the inspiration for the design of the Hellgears. I've only scratched the surface of them this chapter, and who knows? I might expand them in a future work. _

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Hellgears**

**The Rock and the Hard Place**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Karl slowly got up.

…and he didn't like his surroundings at all. The place was humid, and filled with a wheezing noise that set his teeth on edge. The air smelled of sulfur and left a greasy feel on the skin.

Turning around, he stepped back in shock. It was clear what was likely causing the noise and the stench.

Thirty feet down the room from him, a huge mass of metal tubes, gears, arms, and wheels turned and moved. At the front of this machine, a wide iron plate fashioned into the form of a hideous face grinned with a gaping mouth. The innards of this machine were visible.

"What…" he started.

"_Don't get near it, Karl!" _screamed Sal. _"I'm picking up vile magic from that thing! _

"_It seems to be a combination of a demon and a machine… I have no idea how the two were combined, but that's what it is… _

"_I think this is the device that applies demonic grafts."_

"THIS is what Shelly got that arm from?" asked Karl, staring at the foul thing. "No wonder she went nuts!"

"_Well," _replied Sal,_ "it might have a hard time discerning whether or not anyone who comes near it WANTS a demonic graft! Stay clear of it!"_

"It's not that bad…" said a sinister voice behind him.

Karl turned around, and saw someone whom, unfortunately, he had seen before.

"Panik…" he said, looking at the hulking duelist assassin.

The dark homunculus that had grabbed him floated down next to Panik.

"Hello again, Karl…" he said. "Your friend is right, but I wouldn't say that the machine is all THAT bad… After all…"

He tore off the right sleeve of his jacket.

"…it did wonders for me…"

Karl could only stare in fright for a minute. Panik's right arm could hardly be called an arm any more. It was more like a long, muscular tentacle. It had three fingers and a thumb on the end, which looked like they were smaller tentacles.

"You have a demonic graft too…" gasped Karl. "Panik… I hate to be the one to tell you this, but…

"I don't think you're human any more…"

Panik chuckled a little.

"I know…" he said, with a grin. "I'm better…

"You know, Karl… Tiberius told me that the graft would make me the object of scorn and hatred by everything decent and pure…"

"But because you had always been so anyway, you agreed in an instant," added Karl. "I'm guessing you always had a hard time getting a date for Saturday night… What harm was it making yourself uglier when you already had a face that would stop a clock?"

"Save it!" said Panik. "If you think insulting me is going to help you, you aren't as smart as people say.

"There are two exits from this room… One of them is behind that…"

He pointed to the demonic machine.

"…the other is behind me…"

He pointed to the door behind him. Then he lifted his _left _arm, and one of the sinister Duel Disks appeared on it.

"I'll let you use it if you defeat me in a duel… Take note, I don't think you'll get such an offer from that thing.

"So what's it going to be?"

"Pardon me if I say I don't believe you…" said Karl.

He glanced nervously at the infernal contraption behind him.

_Panik may well be part demon, _he thought, _but at least part of him is human…_

He looked at the machine again.

_That thing is part demon too, and the rest of it is solid steel… Something tells me I'll have more of a chance against Panik. _

He activated his Duel Disk.

"You're on," he said. "I beat you once and I can do it again…"

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Panik: 8,000)**

"Duel!" they both shouted.

"The first move is yours," said the Eliminator.

Karl drew a card.

_Better defend for now, _he thought, as he set a card on his Disk and a set Monster appeared. _If he's using his Archfiends again, they could be trouble. Especially since he can use Pandemonium now…_

"Your move…" he said.

Panik made a draw.

_Perfect, _he thought, looking at the fiendish-looking creature on the card. _Only my first turn, and already I drew one of Hape's special cards._

_I may not be able to summon this one yet… But if being dead taught me one thing, it's patience…_

He chose another card.

"I summon Cyber Phoenix," he said.

With a screech, a large robotic bird with four wings and orange highlights appeared, hovering in midair. (1,200 ATK)

"Destroy his Monster!" commanded Panik. "Cyber fire!"

Cyber Phoenix opened its beak and blasted a flamethrower, incinerating Blizzed, Defender of the Ice Barrier.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" asked Karl.

His Disk beeped, and he drew a card.

"All you're doing is copying Gripilus's strategy."

"You mean my apprentice?" asked Panik.

Karl's eyes narrowed.

"You… You told him what to put in that deck?" asked Karl.

Panik smirked and nodded. He lifted his right arm.

"This arm helped me a great deal…" he said. "It let me see things in people that normally only demons can…

"Most predators only stalk and kill… But demons add a third factor. They stalk, terrify, and kill… When I got this graft, I became able to see the terror in men's souls, the things that keep them up at night, the horrors that make them wake up in cold sweats…

"It was a boon to someone like me who used intimidation so much. So I put it to good use. I studied the three of you… I watched you all from a distance as you worked…

"Your two friends, Dugan and Nichole… They have fears, but the things that they're afraid of are a little hard to put into material form. I was delighted to learn that you were afraid of something simple…

"Oh course, who wouldn't be afraid of fire? I found out a long time ago how terrifying it can be."

"Well I got news for you, Mr. Boogeyman," said Karl, "it's gonna take more than one Fire-Attribute Machine to make me panic…

"My move!"

He drew a card.

"I set one card…"

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

"And then I'll summon Strategist of the Ice Barrier!"

In an icy aura, the old, bearded Spellcaster appeared in front of him. (1,600 ATK)

"And now he's going to ground your bird!"

Strategist opened his fan, and spun it around, sending a blast of icy cold that froze Cyber Phoenix solid. It shattered into shards of metal and ice.

"I get to draw one card due to its effect," said Panik, making a draw.

"Then it's your move," said Karl.

**(K: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 7,600)**

Panik made a draw.

"I play the Ancient Rules Spell Card!" he said with a laugh, as he played the card.

"This Spell pays homage to the outdated rules of Duelist Kingdom, and lets me Special Summon a high-Level Monster from my hand with no Tributes. Of course, since Effect Monsters were not nearly as common back then, I can only use this card to summon a Normal Monster.

"I summon Launcher Spider!"

With an explosion of flame, a huge mechanical spider burst onto the field. It was a nasty thing, armored with spikes all over, and two rocket launchers on its back. (2,200 ATK)

"Okay, getting a little worried now…" said Karl, nervously.

"Don't forget, that was a Special Summon," continued Panik. "So I'll bring out Robotic Knight as well…"

There was a whir, and an android with armor made to resemble an old fashioned military officer's dress holding a rapier appeared next to Launcher Spider. (1,600 ATK)

"Want more?" asked Panik. "I play the Spell Card, Solidarity!"

He played a card, and a Continuous Spell appeared behind him.

"With this card in play, so long as I have only one Type of Monster in my Graveyard, all Monsters of that Type on the field gain a bonus of 800 Attack Points."

Robotic Knight and Launcher Spider glowed with fiery energy, the former growing to an Attack Score of 2,400, and the latter to 3,000.

"_This is bad," _said Sal.

Panik chuckled.

"Time to show you firsthand the special house rules of the Shadow Duel," he said.

"Huh?" said Karl.

Before he could question, Robotic Knight lunged at Strategist, and made a cut with its sword, slicing him in half.

"Attack him directly!" shouted Panik. "Shock rocket attack!"

The hatches on Launcher Spider's two launchers opened, and a barrage of missiles flew into the air, honing in on Karl and exploding around him. Karl grunted in pain…

To even Karl's surprise, he wasn't knocked down…

But he _was _pushed back five feet, as if some invisible force had bull rushed him.

"What just happened Panik?" he demanded.

He slowly walked back to his position.

"You were knocked back five feet…" said Panik. "The next round you take damage, it will be ten, then fifteen, and so on…"

Karl nervously looked back at the demonic machine.

"You're currently thirty feet from that machine," continued Panik. "You're safe from it so long as you stay at least six feet from its mouth. It has a tongue-like tendril that grabs anything that comes closer. If you take damage five total rounds… Well, do the math…

"And if you lose the duel by losing your Life Points in less than that, the same thing happens.

"Oh, and maybe I should tell you something about that thing… Only about half of the recipients of these demonic grafts survive the process of getting one."

Panik chuckled.

Karl nervously looked at the infernal device again…

Then his facedown card lifted up.

"All right you freak…" he said. "You wanted to scare me, you succeeded…

"But I can still use Miracle's Wake to bring Strategist back to the field."

Strategist appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,600 DEF)

"Then by all means, make your move," said Panik, crossing his arms. "This is getting fun."

**(K: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 7,600)**

He made a draw.

"_Before you ask," _said Sal, _"I'm afraid there's no way I can hack into that thing's system… I don't even know if it _has _a quote-unquote system."_

"I'm trying very hard not to think about what its power source is," replied Karl.

"Don't worry… I have someone here who can even the score…"

"I summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

He played the card, and the young girl wearing the large coolie hat appeared in front of him. (800 ATK)

"Now, I'll Tune my Level 3 Geomancer with my Level 4 Strategist…"

The two Spellcasters flew up towards the ceiling, and faded into a cluster of stars…

"_Prince regent of the icy tundra, mighty enforcer of the higher powers while possessing power in your own right... Clustering stars combine to defend the Ice Barrier once more!"_

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

With a bellowing howl, Gungnir materialized in the chamber. (2,500 ATK)

"See?" said Karl. "I can summon scary Monsters too.

"And I'll toss two cards so that he can destroy Launcher Spider and Solidarity!"

He quickly discarded two cards from his hand and the huge Dragon breathed a wave of frost. Launcher Spider and the Spell Card were frozen solid, and shattered like glass. Robotic Knight fell back to an Attack Score of 1,600.

"I still have his regular attack," continued Karl. "Polar blast!"

Gungnir exhaled a beam of pure cold, and Robotic Knight exploded into scrap.

Panik frowned.

**(K: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 6,700)**

"You, dear boy," said Panik, "are a tough case…"

"If a tough case gives you trouble," said Karl, "you aren't very good at intimidation."

"Touché," said Panik. "It's my move…"

He drew a card.

"I set a Monster," he said.

A hidden Monster appeared in front of him.

"And I'll set this facedown…"

A set card appeared behind his Monster.

"It's your move…"

Karl frowned as he drew a card.

_I know what he's trying to do… _he thought. _He's purposely trying to make me discard as many of my cards as possible…_

"Not going to happen, pal," he said. "I'm only gonna toss _one _card."

He discarded Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier, and Gungnir breathed his frost, blowing Panik's Sakuretsu Armor to shards.

"Now, I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier," he continued.

Dramatically, the heroic _Bushi _leapt onto the field holding his frigid katana. (1,800 ATK)

"Attack his Monster! Shivering slash!"

The Samurai leapt at the card, and Sangan appeared on it. He made a fierce cut at the Fiend, cutting it in half.

"I use the effect of Sangan…" said Panik.

A card appeared in his hand.

_At least with Sangan in his Graveyard, _thought Karl, _he won't be able to benefit from another Solidarity…_

"Gungnir, attack Panik directly!"

Panik shielded himself with his demonic arm as the huge Dragon blasted him with his polar blast. Even so, the assassin grunted and took a step backwards.

**(K: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,200)**

"And to think I was afraid of you…" said Karl. "You're all sizzle and no steak!"

Panik growled.

"I'll show you steak…" he snarled.

He drew a card.

"It's my move…

"I Special Summon… Hellgear Malebranche!"

There was another explosion of flames, but this one was different. It was accompanied by a strong smell of brimstone and a cloud of foul smoke. A huge Monster that was almost the size of Gungnir appeared in front of him. It was hard to determine whether it was a Machine or a Fiend, and equally hard to determine whether it was a soldier or a mount for some infernal cavalry. It was a huge, bull-like creature, with mechanical limbs and armor, hunched over, with flames seeping from its pores. Indeed, it seemed like a furnace was burning inside it. (2,000 ATK)

"Special Summon?" asked Karl.

"Hellgear Malebranche can be Special Summoned when my opponent controls two or more Water-Attribute Monsters," replied Panik.

"That means I'm free to summon another Monster… I summon another Hellgear… The dreaded Hellgear Dogai!"

An android appeared, one that appeared female, with large horns on her head pointing backwards. She was covered in silvery armor, had glowing, fiery red eyes, long, sharp, metal claws, and was surrounded by an aura of fire. (1,400 ATK)

"What in the world?" said Karl.

"_I have no idea, Karl," _said Sal. _"These cards are _not _listed in my hard drive."_

"Hellgear Dogai," said Panik, "slay his Dragon…"

The android charged at Gungnir, her claws wickedly outstretched…

Karl wanted to believe that Panik was out of his head… But deep down, he truly doubted it.

And apparently, he wasn't, because Gungnir howled even before Dogai reached him. Then she slashed with her claws, and the huge Dragon was literally cut into two pieces before shattering.

"How?" shouted Karl.

"When Hellgear Dogai battles a Water Monster," said Panik, "that Monster's Attack Score falls all the way to zero.

"None of the Monsters in your deck can defeat her that way! And my Malebranche will make sure there's no other way…

"Attack with blazing hellfire!"

The huge creature belched a cloud of fire, blowing Samurai to particles. Karl was pushed backwards again, this time knocked back ten feet.

"Easy…" he said. "Easy…"

He slowly walked back to his position.

**(K: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 4,200)**

"Mind if I ask just what these cards are?" he asked, more nervous than ever. "What the sam-hill are these… Hellgears?"

"They used to be Allies of Justice cards," replied Panik. "You know them, right? Dark-Attribute Machine-Type Monsters designed to combat Light-Attribute Monsters?

"Someone I work with changed them… gave them a new look, and turned them into Fire-Attribute Machines that are designed to combat Water-Attribute Monsters.

"Seems I have more than scary Monsters now, Karl… My Monsters have powers that you _should _be frightened of! Know why? Because they have the potential to tear you and your deck apart…

"It's your move…"

Karl was sweating… He even trembled a little.

_This is bad… _he thought. _Even if I blow Dogai off the field with Brionac, she'll be back the next round, and Brionac will be a goner…_

He made a draw. He looked at it.

He set it on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared. He bowed his head.

"Bah…" said Panik, as he drew a card. "You'd rather fight on until the end than simply give up?

"Some might find that admirable… I find it pathetic…

"Hellgear Dogai… Attack!"

The clawed assassin rushed at the Monster…

Spellbreaker of the Ice Barrier appeared on the card, crouching and shielding herself. (2,000 DEF) Karl grinned as Dogai was propelled backwards.

Karl managed a nervous smirk.

"Gotcha…" he said. "Your Monster may make my Monsters incapable of attacking her… But some of them can still defend pretty well."

"You little brat!" cursed Panik. "Now I lost Life Points!"

**(K: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,600)**

Panik growled as he took another card from his hand. He threw it on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"I'll end with that," he said.

"My move!" exclaimed Karl.

He drew a card.

"I play Enemy Controller!"

He played the Spell Card, and the huge video game control pad appeared in front of him.

"Usually, this card is used to change a Monster's Battle Position," he said. "But if I sacrifice one of my Monsters, I can take control of one of yours.

"So… Up, Left, Down, Right, A, and Start…"

Spellbreaker vanished, and a cord reached out and attached to Hellgear Dogai, pulling her over to Karl's side of the field. Panik snarled at him, but Karl only glared back.

"Seems I found a way to get rid of her," he continued. "I sacrifice your Hellgear Dogai…"

Dogai bowed her head as her fires went completely out. Then she vanished into particles of light.

In another freezing aura, General Raiho of the Ice Barrier appeared in her place. (2,100 ATK)

"Now for that Malebranche…" said Karl.

Raiho lifted his right hand, and a shimmering broadsword made completely out of ice appeared in it.

"Attack Hellgear Malebranche! Kōri-Blade!"

Raiho dashed across the field, dashing past the huge Machine. The Malebranche gave a look of shock, and then collapsed into a pile of smoldering, broken gears and junk. Then the remains collapsed into ash.

"So, is the warranty still good on that?" asked Karl. "I end my turn."

Panik growled as he drew a card.

_I can't lose my temper… _he thought. _I'm angry, sure, but I remember what happened the last time I lost my temper… This brat is trying my patience, but this isn't going to end the same way…_

He looked over the field.

_My set Monster is Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive… But his General will negate its Flip-Effect unless I discard a card from my hand…_

_That would be rather redundant…_

He looked at the three cards in his hand.

_And I wouldn't want to discard any of these… Fortunately, he can't negate this one's effect…_

"I summon Hellgear Hamatula," he said, as he played a card.

Another demonic-looking Machine appeared, this one humanoid, reptilian-looking, with a crimson exoskeleton, barbed claws, a long tail, and blades on its shoulders, forearms, and knuckles. (1,700 ATK)

"This Monster's effect works just like Burden of the Mighty," said Panik, with an evil smile, "but it only affects Water Monsters."

"Say what?" shouted Karl.

"That's right…" said Panik. "Since Raiho is a Level 6 Monster, he loses 600 Attack Points."

Raiho held his chest in pain… (1,500 ATK)

"And that makes him easy prey!" laughed Panik, as the Hamatula lunged. It made two fierce slashes with its blades, and Raiho's sword flew from his hand. Then he collapsed, and shattered.

Karl was pushed again, more fiercely than before, and he slid back fifteen feet.

He took some deep breaths. That one had pushed him halfway to the horrible device…

"Now that your General is out of the way," said Panik, "I flip Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive into Attack Mode…"

His set Monster flipped face-up, revealing a steam locomotive made of black metal with a mean-looking face. (1,400 ATK)

"Due to its effect, I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

"I'll set two cards facedown, and end my turn…"

Two cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

**(K: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,600)**

Karl made a draw.

_Think I can take that thing out… _he thought. _At least, I hope…_

"I'm activating a Trap," chuckled Panik, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Soul Resurrection.

"By using it, I can Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode."

Launcher Spider appeared in an aura of light, shielding itself with its front claws. (2,500 DEF)

Karl looked at it. Then he looked at the other facedown card.

"Actually, Panik, that just makes what I'm about to do next easier."

He played a card, and Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier appeared in front of him. (1,700 ATK) –) (1,300 ATK)

"Ironic…" continued Karl. "If that Trap Card is Bottomless Trap Hole, your Hamatula made her immune to it."

"It isn't…" said Panik. "It's something far more… clever…"

"Well, you can forget about using it this turn," said Karl.

He flipped the last card in his hand around, Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier.

"By revealing an Ice Barrier Monster in my hand, Dance Princess can blow it off the field."

Dance Princess spun a pirouette, and the facedown card vanished, reappearing in Panik's hand.

"She still can't defeat Hamatula!" cursed Panik.

"Yes she can," said Karl.

A card fell out of his discard slot, and he pocketed it.

"By removing my Skill Successor card from play, which I discarded to use Gungnir's effect, she gains 800 Attack Points!"

(2,100 ATK)

"Now destroy his Hamatula!"

Dance Princess pranced towards the metal devil, and then spun around, kicking it and smashing its top half off of its bottom half. The pieces fell apart. Panik looked ready to explode.

"My turn is over…" said Karl.

**(K: 2,500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,600)**

Panik made a draw.

_He's defeated three of my Hellgears… _he thought. _But the strongest one is waiting in the wings… A powerful Machine like none other… Once I draw it, he won't possibly be able to stop its wrath…_

He re-set the Trap Card, and then switched a card on his Disk. Dekoichi curled up into Defense Mode. (1,000 DEF)

"Mmm!" he said.

"Draw!" said Karl, making a draw.

"Now I'll use Dance Princess's effect again!"

He flipped Pilgrim around.

"Not so fast!" said Panik. "I'm chaining this Trap to that effect this time…"

The facedown card lifted up.

"Foolish Revival. I get to select a Monster in your Graveyard, and summon it to your side of the field in Defense Mode."

Karl was shocked as Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier appeared next to Dance Princess, kneeling and crossing his arms. (1,600 DEF)

"Nice one…" said Karl. "I suppose you didn't know that he protects all my Ice Barrier Monsters from being targeted by the effects of Effect Monsters?"

_It's a risk I was willing to take… _thought Panik.

Karl played a card, and Pilgrim appeared on the field. (1,500 ATK)

"Derail that train! Shattering fist!"

Pilgrim rushed the crazy locomotive, and socked it hard, blasting it into pixels.

Karl looked at the facedown card he had just set.

_Next round, _he thought, _I'll have just what I need to summon Trishula…_

_Then we'll see who's scared. _

He turned to Panik and nodded.

Panik drew a card.

Then he laughed. He laughed out loud. He quickly played another can from his hand.

"I play the Advance Force Spell Card!" he laughed. "With this card, I can Normal Summon a Level 7 or higher Monster with one sacrifice…

"So long as the sacrifice is Level 5 or higher. So, I sacrifice Launcher Spider…"

The Machine vanished, and a column of superhot fire shot up from the center of the field… Again, there was a strong smell of brimstone…

Being an intellectual, Karl had, of course, read _The Lord of the Rings, _and like most fans of Tolkien's work had often envisioned images of the horrible Balrog. Indeed, the Shadowchasers had faced similar demons over their one-thousand year history… Powerful, fiery behemoths from the neither regions with no purpose other than to destroy…

It seemed that Karl was facing one right now, although it also seemed to be a Machine. Mechanical limbs supported an open furnace for a torso in which a raging fire burned inside. Its eyes glared at him with pure evil, and it held a flaming sword. (2,400 ATK)

"Meet the last Monster you'll ever see, boy," said Panik. _"Hellgear Titan!"_

As he said that, all three of Karl's Monsters erupted in flames, and turned to ashes.

"What happened?" he shouted.

"When Hellgear Titan is Normal Summoned," said Panik, "all Water Monsters on the field are destroyed.

"And you're defenseless!"

The huge Machine lifted its sword, and rushed towards Karl.

"No I'm not!" shouted Karl, as his facedown card lifted up. "I activate Synchro Spirits!

"I remove one Synchro Monster in my Graveyard from play…"

He pocketed Gungnir.

"…and the Monsters I Tuned to summon him are Special Summoned to defend me."

Geomancer of the Ice Barrier appeared first (1,200 DEF) then Strategist of the Ice Barrier (1,600 DEF), both kneeling in Defense Mode.

"Big deal," said Panik. "Hellgear Titan has five effects. How many it can use depends on the number of Water Monsters it destroyed when I summoned it.

"If it destroys one, it gains a trampling effect… And if it destroys two, it gets to attack a second Monster after destroying one."

"No… wait…" gasped Karl.

The Titan's sword fell, obliterating Geomancer. Then it fell again, blowing Strategist to shards.

Karl was pushed back farther than ever this time, skidding back twenty feet. As he struggled to keep from falling over, he felt the horrible machine's breath on his back…

**(K: 500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,600)**

_If that happens again, _he thought, _I'm finished!_

He held his chest as he walked back to his position.

"I should probably add," said Panik, "because my Monster destroyed _three _Water Monsters, it also can't be targeted by Monster effects. Not even Brionac and Trishula can do the job."

"Trishula can still defeat it in battle," said Karl.

"Maybe so," said Panik, "but you have very little to work with…"

_He's right… _thought Karl. _No cards in my hand, nothing on the field…_

_I need a miracle…_

"You know, Karl…" said Panik. "I kind of like using these Hellgears… I only have four now… But who knows? Maybe after I'm done with you, I can convince the guy who gave them to me to create more…

"I mean, I am a duelist assassin… And maybe I could make more money as a specialist."

"Specialist?" asked Karl.

"Of course," said Panik. "You're far from the only duelist who uses Water Monsters… I could specialize in getting rid of such people, and charge extra because I had the best cards to do it.

"Hell… You could be the first step on my road back to the top!"

Karl took some deep breaths as sweat poured down his brow…

But it wasn't from fear. It was from the heat. His fear had turned into anger.

"You aren't only sadistic…" he said, "you're selfish on top of it… All you're thinking about now is how much money you're going to make out of this… You not only like seeing people suffer, you like to profit from it?

"Well, I'm not dead yet…"

He looked at his deck.

_I can't lose this duel… _he thought. _I can't let this lunatic use these abominations on anyone else…_

_One miracle, coming up…_

He drew a card.

He smirked.

"I summon General Gantala of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

In a blast of arctic chill, the brave general appeared to confront the huge Hellgear. (2,700 ATK)

"HOW?" shouted Panik. "How could you…"

He stopped short.

"It was that confounded Wendigo again, wasn't it?" he cursed. "It was the other card you discarded to use Gungnir's effect!"

"Yup," said Karl, as he pocketed Wendigo. "I guess it's true what they say… History sometimes does repeat itself…

"Gantala… Attack! Shattering strike!"

Gantala leapt at the huge Machine, and hit it hard with a mighty karate chop. The Hellgear Titan howled, and then exploded into a blast of hot metal and fiery debris.

**(K: 500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,300)**

"Seems I just put out your fire, Panik," he said. "To end my turn, I'll use Gantala's effect and Special Summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier in Defense Mode."

Samurai appeared, kneeling and holding his sword down. (1,500 DEF)

_Got to be careful, _he thought. _My Life Points are hanging by a thread, and if I lose even fifty of them…_

He glanced back at the demonic machine. It looked hungry…

Panik glared at him with a look of hate.

_He destroyed all of my precious Hellgears, _thought the Eliminator. _He's mocking me… I'm starting to get very angry…_

He drew a card.

"I play the Pot of Avarice Spell Card!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and then took all four Hellgears and Cyber Phoenix from his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck, and made two draws.

He looked at the two cards, Silent Doom and Linear Accelerator Cannon.

_Hmm… _he thought, looking at the second card. _This Spell could end this duel in a heartbeat…_

_But… In order to play it, it has to be the only Spell Card I play in a turn, so I can't play it this turn… I'll have to delay him, and wait until next turn._

He took the card he already had before playing Pot of Avarice.

"I play Nightmare's Steelcage!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a large, domed cage covered with sharp spiked formed around Karl and his two Monsters.

"Then," he continued, "I play Silent Doom to bring Launcher Spider back once more."

He played the card, and Launcher Spider returned again. (2,500 DEF)

"I end my turn…"

Karl drew a card.

He looked at it. It was _his _Pot of Avarice.

_So it all comes down to this… _he thought.

He played the card, and took Pilgrim, Dance Princess, Geomancer, Strategist, and Spellbreaker from his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck and made two draws.

He paused. Then he looked at the two cards.

"I summon Geisha of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

Geisha appeared in a flourish, and made a graceful pose, opening her two fans. (1,500 ATK)

"Eh?" said Panik.

"Now, I use Geisha's effect," continued Karl. "By revealing one Ice Barrier Monster in my hand…"

He flipped the other card in his hand around – Dewdark of the Ice Barrier.

"…I can revert one of your Spell or Trap Cards to set position."

Panik almost turned white as his Continuous Spell was forced down, and the Steelcage surrounding Karl vanished.

"What's wrong?" asked Karl.

Samurai got up and assumed Attack Mode. (1,800 ATK)

"If I didn't know better, Panik… I'd say you're having a panic attack!"

He didn't need to say anything more. Gantala leapt at Launcher Spider, and with one shattering strike, blew it to pieces. Samurai was next, leaping at the assassin and hitting him hard with his katana. Then Geisha hurled her razor-sharp fans, hitting the Eliminator and sending him to his knees.

**(K: 500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 0)**

"Seems you're as much a washout now as you ever were," said Karl.

He drew his sword.

"Now get out of my way."

Panik snarled, and glared at him.

"I'll show you who's a washout!" he shouted.

Then he reached with his demonic arm, his reach stretching three times the human norm, and grabbing Karl by the neck.

Karl gasped, and it was all he could do to keep from dropping his sword as Panik pulled him closer.

"So…" said Panik. "Should I throw you into the machine?

"No… I think I'll just strangle you!"

The hand started to squeeze. Karl struggled to lift his sword…

Then he struck downward, severing the arm. He fell backwards.

But something was wrong. He still heard Panik's cruel laugh. Then he realized that the arm was still strangling him. Even though he had severed it, Panik could still use it.

He tried to pull it away with his other hand, but it was too strong… Everything started to turn red…

Then he heard Sal's voice.

"_Karl!" _she shouted. _"The dark homunculus!"_

Through the haze, Karl saw the ghostly thing next to Panik, and realized what she meant. He swung his sword again, and cut it in half.

Panik screamed. In the observation room, Lareth screamed as well as the bond between them was forcefully broken…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Karl slowly got up, gasping for breath. Panik was on the ground, groaning. The arm was next to him.

Panik lifted his head, and slowly reached for it with his left hand.

"You're a dead man…" he cursed.

Karl wasn't going to see if he would recover. He ran past the fallen Eliminator and out the door of the room.

He stopped for a minute to look back, and saw Panik trying to reattach the severed arm. Whether he would succeed or not, Karl didn't care. All he cared about now was putting as much distance between him and Panik and that horrible device as possible.

_Got to find the others, _he thought. _We're all in deep trouble…_

But as scared as he had been, Karl realized that those fiery Machines weren't as bad as Panik had made them seem…

…at least not when compared to the true danger of the Shadow Duel.

Maybe that was the secret to overcoming an irrational fear. If you were to keep your mind on something that's truly dangerous, phobias seem a lot less frightening by comparison…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SYNCHRO SPIRITS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **White Magician Pikeru and Junk Synchron in the foreground with Junk Warrior in the background.

**Card Description: **Remove 1 Synchro Monster in your Graveyard from play. If the Monsters originally used for the Synchro Summon of that Monster are in your Graveyard, Special Summon them to your side of the field.

_Note: "Synchro Spirits" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Second Round Showdown (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HELLGEAR MALEBRANCHE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Fire  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 2,000  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **When your opponent controls 2 or more face-up WATER Monsters, you may Special Summon this card from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HELLGEAR DOGAI (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,400  
**DEF:** 900

**Card Description: **When this card battles a WATER Monster, reduce the ATK of that Monster to zero during the Damage Step only.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HELLGEAR HAMATULA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Fire  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 800

**Card Description: **Each face-up WATER Monster on the field loses 100 ATK times its own Level.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HELLGEAR TITAN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Fire  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 2,400

**Card Description: **When this card is Normal Summoned, destroy all face-up WATER Monsters on the field. This card gains the following cumulative effects depending on the number of WATER Monsters destroyed by this effect: 1: When this card attacks a Defense Position monster with a DEF lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points. 2: When this card destroys an opposing Monster, it may attack a second time. This effect can only be used once per Battle Phase. 3: This card cannot be targeted by Monster effects. 4: Once per turn, select 1 WATER Monster in your opponent's Graveyard and increase your Life Points by the selected Monster's ATK. 5 or more: Double the base ATK and DEF of this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: When dealing with this cult, we've faced a lot of scum and lunatics. It makes sense… The followers of Tharizdun tend to be cruel and sadistic madmen…**_

_**But one member, if he is indeed a member, that I don't understand is this Graves person. He seems polite, courteous, and perfectly lucid, everything that members of this cult aren't supposed to be. **_

_**I have to get past him now… But I intend to get answers. Why is he here? An old saying says that everybody has a story, and I'm certain that this man has one that sets him apart. **_

"_**The Enigmatic Servant; A Debt of Honor" is coming soon.**_


	44. The Mysterious Servant, A Debt of Honor

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Mysterious Servant**

**A Debt of Honor**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

While all this was going on, Nichole, the only one who had not been grabbed, was running up the stairs. She really had no idea where she was going through these torch-lit stone stairways, but she hoped that she would eventually get somewhere. Trying to call Dugan, Karl, or Jalal had been pointless… Her phone wasn't responding.

Eventually, the stairs terminated at a door, and she opened it, stepping into a long hallway. Not knowing what else to do, she cautiously started to walk down…

Halfway down, she saw that someone was in her path. Graves was standing there, sternly looking at her.

"That's far enough, Ms. Belvins," he said.

"Graves?" said Nichole.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to go any further," he said.

Nichole looked at him hard. She shook her head. She really knew of nothing wrong that he had done, so it was only fair to give him a warning.

"And just what are you going to do to stop me?" she asked. "I don't want to force my way past you, Graves, but I will if I have to."

Graves lifted a small device that looked like a remote control.

"I rarely resort to fisticuffs, Miss Belvins," he said, "and _never _use them on a lady… But I have other means…"

Before Nichole could do anything, he flicked a button on the device, and a set of portcullis bars slammed down behind Nichole, blocking the way she came. At the same time, another set slammed down behind Graves.

He had trapped the two of them in a thirty-foot section of the corridor.

Nichole quickly grabbed him by the collar, and snatched the device away from him.

"Go ahead, take it," he said. "I'm the only one who knows the code…"

Nichole looked at him, and then looked at the device. She frowned. Sal could have found the code for it in ten seconds... But Karl had Sal…

"Hand it back to me, and I'll give you a sporting chance, Ms. Belvins…" said Graves. "Otherwise, you can deal with the sentries when they decide to patrol this area… And you'll have a _much _harder time dealing with them than me."

"I take it these sentries are demons of some sort?" asked Nichole, as she handed it back.

"I have no idea," said Graves. "I've certainly never seen them."

He activated the Duel Disk on his arm, and then plugged the device into a special port on the back. His Life Point counter set.

"Here's the deal…" he said. "The barriers will open when the score on my Disk hits zero. Defeat me, and I'll let you past."

Nichole looked at him.

She rarely took the word of most crooks, but for some reason, she felt that he could take his word for it.

She backed up, and activated her Disk.

"You're on," she said.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Graves: 8,000)**

"I've always been told to respect my elders, Graves," said Nichole, "so you may go first."

Graves drew a card, and looked at it. He quickly played it.

"I summon The Immortal Bushi," he said.

In a flourish, a battle-worn oriental soldier in well-worn armor, pierced with arrows, holding paired katana blades materialized in front of him. (1,200 ATK)

"I'll end my turn there…"

Nichole drew a card.

_If he's using that Monster, _she thought, _he's likely playing a deck with some high-Level Warriors…_

She looked over her hand.

_But I've got a few good cards here…_

She played a card, and Amazoness Fighter appeared to confront the Bushi. (1,500 ATK)

"Attack!" she shouted. "Destroy him!"

Fighter charged The Immortal Bushi, and gave him a fierce kick, blowing him to shards.

Nichole set a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

_Okay… _she thought. _I'm all set for Freed, or Kuraz, or whoever he intends to summon._

"It's your move…" she said.

**(N: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 7,700)**

"I draw!" said Graves, making a draw, "and because I have no Monsters on the field, and my Graveyard has no Monsters other than Warriors, my Immortal Bushi comes back…"

The battle-scarred solider reappeared. (1,200 ATK)

"Hence the term 'immortal'," said Nichole.

"Indeed," said Graves. "Next, I summon Marauding Captain."

He played a card, and one of the most popular Warriors in the game strutted out onto the field, the armored veteran holding two swords. (1,200 ATK)

"Next, I use his effect to Special Summon Shien's Squire…"

Another Warrior appeared, this one resembling a child with monkey-like features, in oriental armor, holding a spear. Overall, it looked like a younger version of Shien's Footsoldier. (300 ATK)

"Now, I Tune all three of my Warriors together…"

Shien's Squire led the way as the three Monsters flew towards the ceiling, dissolving into light.

"_Let the power of the ancestors combine the spirits of these Warriors to call forth a fighter whose power is legend!"_

**(*1 + *3 + *3 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Driven Daredevil!"_

With a roar, a Samurai appeared who looked just as disheveled as The Immortal Bushi, but not injured this time. His face and hair were both wild with fury, and his eyes glowed with power. He wore a green breastplate and white pants with black, armored boots, held the paired katana blades typical of his caste, and had a naginata strapped to his back. (2,400 ATK)

"Whoa…" said Nichole. "Never saw _that _guy before…"

"Mmm…" said Graves, as the Samurai lifted his sword, "a good card is one that your opponent has never seen…"

Driven Daredevil made a furious slash, cutting Amazoness Fighter in half at the waist.

"…but a truly excellent card is one that she'll likely never see the likes of again."

"Interesting…" said Nichole. "I kind of wish I had time to write that down…

"But anyway… Due to Fighter's effect, I take no damage…"

"I'll set three cards and end my turn…" said Graves, as three facedown cards appeared behind his Synchro.

_This guy certainly looks like he means business, _said Nichole, as she drew a card.

She looked at Driven Daredevil.

_But it's not like my Amazons can't bring down a stronger Monster… I mean, that's what they do, after all…_

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman!" she shouted.

Swords Woman leapt onto the field, and gave Daredevil a sly look. He glared back at her and frowned. (1,500 ATK)

"Now I play… Amazoness Spellcaster!"

She played the Spell Card, and the aged Amazon shaman appeared, chanting as runes appeared in the air. Swords Woman's ATK rose to 2,400, while Daredevil's fell to 1,500.

"Swords Woman, take him down!" shouted Nichole. "Amazoness sword slash!"

Swords Woman gripped her blade in both hands, and leapt at the larger Warrior…

"I activate Daredevil's effect!" shouted Graves. "Driven Wind!"

Daredevil crossed his blades to block Swords Woman's blow, and a fierce whirlwind encircled him…

Swords Woman's scimitar shattered into pieces. Then she screamed and was propelled backwards before shattering herself.

"What happened?" shouted Nichole.

"When Driven Daredevil is attacked by a stronger Monster," said Graves, "he survives… The Monster that attacked, however, isn't so lucky."

"Well, you still took damage…" said Nichole.

"But so will you, due to this Trap Card," said Graves, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "It's called Master and Servant's Resolve."

Nichole was started as a sword flew out of the Trap Card, and then even more shocked when it stabbed her in the gut. She keeled over in pain.

"This card activates whenever a Monster is destroyed by another Monster's effect," explained Graves, "and deals damage equal to the destroyed Monster's Attack Score…"

Nichole grunted as she held her stomach. She took a card from her hand, and set it in her Disk, setting a second facedown card.

"I… end my turn…" she said.

**(N: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 6,800)**

Graves drew a card.

Nichole was surprised again, as the sword flew out of the card again, and this time, stabbed Graves in the gut.

"Ergh…" he grunted. "I… uhm… I take 1,000 points of damage at the start of my turn to pay for that Trap Card…"

_Graves' Monster isn't the only one who means business, _thought Nichole. _He's playing pretty rough…_

"Attack Nichole directly!" ordered Graves.

"I don't think so…" said Nichole.

One of her facedown cards lifted up.

"I activate Amazoness Willpower, to bring Swords Woman back to the field!"

Swords Woman started to appear.

"Actually, you don't…" said Graves.

Another of his Trap Cards lifted up.

"By activating Royal Oppression, I can pay 800 Life Points to negate your Special Summon."

Swords Woman shattered.

_Ho boy… _thought Nichole.

She screamed as Driven Daredevil's sword cut into her. She fell to her knees.

**(N: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 5,000)**

She took some deep breaths, and got up.

"You seem to use a lot of cards that deplete your own Life Points…" she said.

"More than enough remain," said Graves. "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to achieve a goal."

_Since when is a member of a doomsday cult willing to make self-sacrifices? _thought Nichole. _Something is seriously wrong here, and I want answers…_

"Graves…" she said. "Mind if I ask a question?

"You may," he replied, "but I can't guarantee an answer."

"I remember your boss saying you had a 'condition'…" said Nichole. "But strange… You don't seem to have a condition…

"You said you were unwilling to hit a lady, you seem far more polite that any member of the cult I've seen so far… And you seem to have something that all other members lack… Sanity.

"Call me suspicious, but you don't seem to fit in here."

"I am _not _a member of this cult," replied Graves. "I couldn't care less for Mr. Tiberius's god, and I doubt that it is even possible for him to be freed. I simply work for Mr. Tiberius."

"So what did he do to earn such loyalty from you?" asked Nichole.

Graves didn't answer. A sad look appeared on his face.

"I'm listening…" said Nichole. "Listening is something I do best. I listen to people all the time at St. Cuthbert's House, Graves. They come with problems like you wouldn't believe."

Graves sighed.

"Well, not that it's any of your business," he said, "but if you must know, about five years ago, I had a family… A wife and a daughter… A ten-year-old daughter named Sandra…

"One day, Sandra developed a strange disease. It was terrible. The doctors couldn't even diagnose it, much less cure it. My wife and I spent our savings and worked overtime just to afford her treatment, and still she got worse, and worse…

"Then Mr. Tiberius appeared, coming to me, saying he had a doctor with a new experimental antibiotic that might cure her…"

"But there was a catch, right?" asked Nichole.

Graves nodded.

"He wanted to raise Nichole as his apprentice for his organization…" replied Graves. "What could I say? My daughter was dying, and I wanted her to live. I agreed, and his doctor gave the treatment to her doctors, who at that point were willing to try anything. Miraculously, it worked. Within a week, the disease was gone.

"But there was one problem… I had never discussed Tiberius's condition with my wife. When she found out, she was horrified, accusing me of selling our daughter to some cult. I tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen. She left, taking Sandra with her.

"The last I heard from them was from a lawyer, who said that unless I signed a no contest agreement finalizing divorce and granting my wife sole custody, she would turn me in to the police. I don't even know where they are now…"

"So what happened then?" asked Nichole. "Did the contract you signed with Tiberius hold some enchanted clause that required you to work for him if you couldn't fulfill your end of the bargain?"

"There _was_ no contract!" shouted Graves. "Nothing but a verbal agreement. But I felt I owed the man. Say what you will about what he does, he saved my daughter's life!

"Sandra may grow up thinking her daddy was a lunatic, but she will grow up.

"Enough… It's your move, so either make it or pass…"

Nichole looked at the three cards in her hand, Amazoness Trainee, Amazoness Queen, and Pot of Avarice. Then she looked at her facedown card.

She drew a card.

This was a good one…

She was very suspicious, however… She wondered if there were parts to that story that even Graves didn't know about…

_If I can stall long enough to summon Amazoness Queen, _she thought, _her Attack Score would be tied with Determined Daredevil's, and she can't be destroyed in battle. In theory, she could defeat him…_

"I set this facedown…" she said, as she set the card she had just drawn, "and then summon Amazoness Trainee."

The young Amazon in the zebra-skin bikini holding a spiked chain appeared in front of her. (1,500 ATK)

"Over to you, Graves," she said.

Graves frowned, and made a draw. He grunted again as the sword stabbed him in the gut again.

"Driven Daredevil, attack the Trainee!" he commanded.

The Samurai lifted his blades. Trainee watched nervously…

"I activate… Shrink!" shouted Nichole, as the Spell Card she had set last turn shot up.

Driven Daredevil shank to half his size, and gasped. (1,200 ATK)

"I'm guessing that he can't use his Driven Wind if he's the one attacking," she said, as Trainee prepared to counterattack.

"No he can't," replied Graves, as he threw a card into his Disk.

Book of Moon appeared in front of him, and Driven Daredevil vanished, replaced by a set Monster.

"But… My Quickplay Spell lets me call his attack off…

"I end my turn…"

**(N: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 4,000)**

_Okay, I have a chance… _thought Nichole.

"My move!" she shouted, as she drew a card.

"I know what you want to do, and I can stop you," said Graves.

His last set card lifted up, revealing yet another Continuous Trap.

"Mask of Restrict?" gasped Nichole. "That stops me from sacrificing Monsters!"

She paused.

_Man, this guy is prepared for everything! _she thought.

She considered for a minute. She looked at the Warrior she had just drawn.

She was about to set the card… Then she changed her mind. She couldn't risk losing her right now. She simply turned a card on her Disk, and Trainee knelt in Defense Mode. (1,300 DEF)

"That's all…" she said.

Graves made a draw. He cringed again as the sword stabbed into his gut.

He looked at the card he had drawn.

_I might as well use this, _he thought. _This Trap Card is outliving its usefulness._

"I play Magic Planter," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "I'll send Master and Servant's Resolve to the Graveyard to draw two cards."

A mass of vines sprouted up, and consumed the Trap Card. Graves made two draws.

He looked at them: Mataza the Zapper and Rivalry of Warlords.

_Curses! _he thought. _I should have switched that Trap Card for something else… It's not much use against Belvins' deck…_

_Ah well… Mataza is still useful…_

"I flip Driven Daredevil back into Attack Mode," he said, as Daredevil appeared again. (2,400 ATK) "Then I summon Mataza the Zapper."

Yet another oriental soldier appeared, this one a dark _ronin _in green armor with only a single katana. (1,300 ATK)

_This is just going from bad to worse, _thought Nichole.

"First, my Driven Daredevil attacks your Trainee," said Graves.

Daredevil charged, bringing his sword down and blowing Trainee to pieces.

"Then Mataza will take care of _you!" _

The Zapper leapt at Nichole, drawing his blade in midair. She shrieked as the cold steel cut into her flesh.

"And due to his effect," continued Graves, "he gets two attacks!"

Nichole screamed as Mataza struck her a second time with an upward swing. She fell on her behind.

**(N: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 3,000)**

"I end my turn," said Graves.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"To think," said Lareth, "that manservant of yours is having more success than Jeremy and Panik, and he didn't even need a homunculus."

"Quiet, Lareth," said Lorelei. "We don't want to jinx it.

"Still, it will be nice to see Nichole be the first to fall… Tiberius, assuming she does, can I have her? I've got a lot of fun ideas…"

"We'll see…" said Tiberius, who was watching carefully, and not as happy as his two partners.

Frankly, he didn't like the fact that Nichole had forced Graves to bring back those old wounds…

"That was quite a touching story that he told," said Lareth, with a chuckle. "I'm assuming you…"

"Quiet, Lareth!" said Tiberius.

He said it with such intensity that Lareth quickly dropped it.

Tiberius continued to watch, somewhat worried…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"My move…" said Nichole, as she made a draw.

She looked at it. Then she looked at her facedown card.

It was time to take a chance…

"I set this card facedown," she said, as another set card appeared in front of her, "and then summon Amazoness Sage!"

Sage appeared, holding her quarterstaff threateningly. (1,400 ATK)

"Eh?" said Graves.

"Attack Mataza the Zapper!" she shouted.

Sage leapt at the ronin, holding her staff above her head…

"Nice try," said Graves, as he took a card from his hand, "but I'm prepared for that too…"

He discarded the card.

"By sending Shien's Negotiator to the Graveyard, my Warrior-Type Monster survives the battle."

Mataza parried with his blade, blocking Sage's blow.

"That's all well and good," said Nichole, "but getting rid of him was only an afterthought… What I really wanted to do was use Sage's effect.

"When she makes an attack, and she did, I get to destroy one Spell or Trap Card."

She pointed, and Royal Oppression shattered into pixels.

"I end my turn…"

**(N: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 2,900)**

Graves drew.

He looked at Nichole's two facedown cards for a minute or two…

"Getting nervous?" asked Nichole.

Graves took Rivalry of Warlords, and fit it into his Disk.

"I play Blasting Vein," he said, as he played a Spell Card.

The Rivalry of Warlords card shattered.

"By destroying that set Trap Card, I get to draw twice."

He made two draws.

He paused again.

Then he smirked. He looked at the cards he had drawn.

_She thinks I'm nervous, _he thought. _She's more nervous than I am… _

_Even if those cards can destroy Daredevil, I have something here that can tip the odds in my favor again…_

"Driven Daredevil, attack!" he shouted.

The Samurai leapt at Sage…

"I activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Nichole, as her Trap Card lifted up.

"NO!" shouted Graves.

It was too late. The energy barrier halted Daredevil's strike, and energy flowed into Nichole.

"Seems I'm back in this, pal," she said.

Graves frowned. He set two more cards in his Disk, and two more set cards appeared in his Spell Zone. Then he waved his hand.

**(N: 3,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 2,900)**

"Not much to say, huh?" said Nichole, making a draw.

"Sage, attack Mataza again!"

Sage leapt at Mataza a second time.

"I activate… Dimensional Prison!" shouted Graves, as his facedown card lifted up.

Nichole smirked.

"That's exactly what I wanted you to do, Graves…" she said.

The facedown card she had set on her second turn lifted up.

"I activate Dramatic Rescue!" she exclaimed. "Now Sage returns to my hand…"

Sage vanished, and her card reappeared in Nichole's hand.

"…so your Trap Card has no target."

The Dimensional Prison shattered.

"And now, with Royal Oppression gone, the second effect of Dramatic Rescue activates, letting me Special Summon another Monster from my hand… Let's all welcome her royal majesty…"

In a flourish, Amazoness Queen strode onto the field. She lifted her scimitar, and glared at Driven Daredevil with her one good eye. (2,400 ATK)

"My Battle Phase continues…" said Nichole. "Amazoness Queen, attack Driven Daredevil! Blade of Hippolyta!"

The Queen screamed a battlecry, and leapt at the Samurai sword-first. He tried to defend against her assault, but his two swords fell to the ground in four pieces. Then he groaned as her blade cut into him, and he shattered.

Graves looked with disbelief…

"Let me ask you something, Graves…" said Nichole.

"Huh?" said Graves.

"What would have happened if your wife hadn't objected?" she said. "Let me ask you that! What if your daughter was now on the path of becoming a Doomdreamer, with the Dark God whispering in her ear?"

"What was a parent to do?" asked Graves, angrily. "You should have seen how much she was suffering… Her fever was one-ten at times… She was sweating and shivering at the same time! And no matter how much we fed her, she was gaunt to the point of being anorexic!"

Nichole looked at him. Then a look crossed her face that seemed to combine terror and sympathy…

"Was her skin pale and discolored, with veins showing through?" she asked.

"Uh, yes…" said Graves.

"Were her joints sore?" asked Nichole. "Did she suffer from headaches? Did she have nightmares about hideous monsters chasing her that she remembered almost perfectly?"

"Yes!" gasped Graves. "How do you know?"

"Oh… Graves…" muttered Nichole. "The symptoms you describe… Your daughter had demon's fever…"

"Demon's fever?" gasped Graves.

"Demon's fever is a disease that is, for all practical purposes, magical," explained Nichole. "The organisms that cause it aren't bacteria or viruses, they're microscopic demons!

"Natives of the Lower Planes get it all the time and it's harmless to them… But mortals can catch it by being wounded from an infected fiend…"

"My daughter never even _met _any fiends…" said Graves.

"BUT you forget, this is a magical disease, Graves!" replied Nichole. "As such, it can also be caused by magical curses cast by dark spellcasters with ties to demons…

"Especially evil divine spellcasters. They corrupt the healing magic that most divine spellcasters use to _cause _illness instead of treat it…

"Graves, this is going to come as a shock…"

"What?" demanded Graves. "Tell me!"

"Tiberius was able to cure your daughter's disease because…" said Nichole. "Because he obviously had a hand in causing it. There was no miracle antibiotic… Any spellcaster can end a curse that he personally caused at any time.

"I don't know why he targeted your daughter… But he set you up…"

Graves couldn't respond. He was speechless… He didn't want to believe what Nichole had just said, and he wanted to think that it didn't make sense…

But when he actually thought about it, it made perfect sense… He didn't need Nichole to tell him that his employer was a cruel man… He saw firsthand the results of the things Tiberius had done over five years… All the people he had hurt…

He never realized it at the time… But now it made perfect sense…

He hung his head… Tears flowed from his eyes…

_All these years… _he thought. _The truth was right in front of me, and I was blind to it..._

_Sandra…_

"Graves, I can help you," said Nichole. "The Shadowchasers can help you. Forfeit this duel, let me by, and I promise you, someone will find your wife and daughter and explain everything. We have the best negotiators in the world. It isn't too late…"

Graves didn't say anything for a minute…

His right hand trembled. He slowly moved it towards his deck…

"That's it…" said Nichole.

Then he stopped short.

"I don't think so…" he said in a voice that wasn't his.

Nichole stepped back in fright as Graves lifted his head and opened his eyes, which were now cold and inhuman.

"I have to admit, Ms. Belvins," he said, "you're pretty smart… You figured out in half an hour what Graves never figured out in the five years he worked for me… Of course, I never considered him all that bright…"

"Tiberius…" growled Nichole.

"That's right," said the Doomdreamer's voice. "And he never knew that I had a contingency plan for just this sort of thing…

"This duel will continue, and because I don't recall you ending your turn…"

His other facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Miracle's Wake!"

In a flash of energy, Driven Daredevil appeared once again. (2,400 ATK)

"Fine…" said Nichole. "Now I can finish this duel with a clear conscience… It's your move…"

Directing Graves' hand, Tiberius made a draw.

"I set this facedown," he said, as he threw it into the Disk.

A set card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"And then Mataza moves to Defense Mode."

The Zapper sheathed his sword, and knelt. (800 DEF)

"It is your move…"

Nichole drew a card. She considered for a minute.

"I also set a card," she said, as a facedown card appeared.

"Then I summon Amazoness Tiger!"

With a roar, the ferocious she-tiger leapt onto the field. (1,100 ATK) –) (1,900 ATK)

"Hmm…" said Tiberius. "Maybe Graves was a little hasty getting rid of that Rivalry of Warlords…"

"Ain't hindsight great?" asked Nichole.

She pointed, and Tiger pounced on Mataza, crushing him.

"Now my Queen will attack Determined Daredevil again!"

Queen charged at the Samurai…

"I activate… The Rush Recklessly Spell Card!" shouted Tiberius, as his facedown card lifted up.

"It won't work," said Nichole. "Queen's effect prevents my Amazons from being destroyed by battle."

"Actually, I'm using it on your Queen," said Tiberius.

Queen's Attack Score shot up to 3,100 as she closed in on Driven Daredevil.

"Oh no…" said Nichole. "If her Attack Score is higher than his…"

The realization came too late. Once again, Daredevil's Driven Wind activated, and Queen's sword was smashed to pieces right before she was.

_Okay, we're in trouble now… _thought Nichole, as Tiger's Attack Score fell to 1,500.

"I have to end my turn…" she said.

**(N: 3,000) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 2,200)**

Tiberius made a draw.

He looked at it. It was Shield Crush.

He chuckled a little.

"Driven Daredevil, euthanize that Tiger," he said.

Daredevil made a fierce blow with his right katana, smashing the Beast to little pieces.

"I activate… Pride of Tribe!" shouted Nichole, as her Trap Card, lifted up. "I'll use it to Special Summon Amazoness Swords Woman from my deck!"

In a flourish, a second Swords Woman leapt onto the field. (1,500 ATK)

"A minor inconvenience," said Tiberius. "My turn ends…"

**(N: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 2,200)**

"Why don't you just give up, Nichole? A truly great general knows when he's outmatched, as a wise man once said. Even Hippolyta submitted to Heracles because she knew she was no match for him."

"Wrong," said Nichole, as she drew a card. "She yielded because she fell in love with him. He was quite the lady's man… The only woman who truly hated him was Hera, and if she hadn't been intent on making his life a living Hell, his business with the Amazons might have ended without trouble, unlike most of the events of his life."

She looked at the card she had drawn.

"And here's something else a wise man once said… If you can't beat em, join em."

She played a card, and Amazoness Sage reappeared on the field. (1,400 ATK)

"Sage, attack Driven Daredevil!" she commanded.

"HUH?" said Tiberius.

Sage obeyed, rushing towards the much stronger Warrior. He responded with a swing of his sword, cutting her in half. Nichole grunted.

**(N: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 2,200)**

"Perfect!" said Nichole. "Sage may have lost the battle, but because she attacked, I can still use her effect…"

She pointed, and Mask of Restrict shattered.

"Eh?" said Tiberius.

Nichole threw a Quickplay Spell into her Disk.

"And now that I can sacrifice Monsters," she said, "I play Enemy Controller!"

The large video game controller appeared, and Swords Woman vanished. Driven Daredevil was pulled over to Nichole's side of the field.

"Driven Daredevil, attack directly and knock that fiend out of him once and for all!"

Tiberius said nothing…

And Graves let out a scream as his own Monster's sword fell…

"Sandra…" he sobbed, as he slumped to the ground.

**(N: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (G: 0)**

Nichole rushed over to him as the bars in front of and behind her started to lift.

"Graves?" she said. "Graves!"

She tried to help him get up.

"I'll be fine…" he said, weakly. "I… At least I think I'll be…"

He started crying again.

"All the horrible things that monster has done…" he said. "And I stood by and watched and did nothing… All because I thought I owed the bastard…"

Nichole sighed.

"I doubt you're the only one he's conned," she said. "Graves, maybe for your own safety, you'd better get out of Dodge, as the saying goes…"

"I… I can't…" said Graves.

He stood up. He calmed down a little.

"After you guys were brought in, Tiberius closed the borders."

"Closed the borders?" asked Nichole.

"This stronghold is sort of like a realm onto itself," said Graves. "Tiberius used a spell that makes use of portals and teleportation impossible unless he allows it. And there's no other way in or out. No boats or anything like that. There aren't even any doors leading outside, so even trying to make a swim for it is impossible.

"He said that no-one is getting in or out until something called the Ritual of Displacement is complete. I have no idea what that is, but it's happening in two days."

"Then I'm gonna find out what it is…" said Nichole. "If there's any place in this tower that's even remotely safe, get to it."

She started to run down the corridor again.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"You gave a child demon's fever so you could trick her parents into telling her to join the order?" asked Lorelei. "Why didn't you tell me about this project?"

"It was a secret project," replied Tiberius with a frown. "Only the Triad and I knew about it.

"I can't take all the credit. To make certain that only I could cure the girl's disease, I made a deal with… Bubonis…"

Lorelei and Lareth gasped.

"The foulspawn?" exclaimed Lareth. "That Sandra must have been _very _important for you to have made a deal with that spook… He's even crazier than I am…"

"We discovered that Graves' daughter had more potential to harness divine magic than anyone we had ever seen," replied Tiberius. "She could have been one of the greatest Doomdreamers who ever lived if she had come to our side…"

"So why did you just let Graves' wife get away with her?" asked Lorelei.

"We sent a gang to get them," sighed Tiberius. "Unfortunately, my plan wasn't as secret as I had hoped. Some Templars of Heironeous found out about it, and decided to protect the girl. And they weren't lightweights either. One of them had a Holy Avenger and another had a Mace of Disruption. After losing several men in the attempt, I decided to cut my losses."

Lareth looked at the three holographic viewing screens that showed Dugan, Karl, and Nichole running through the hallways of the Temple.

"Well, a lot of good our welcoming committee did," he said. "Three of our minions lose, and the one who wins has a homunculus that malfunctions…"

"It wasn't what I hoped," said Tiberius, "but it was more than I expected. Thanks to the welcoming committee, they're nervous, scared, and on edge, and should be more vulnerable to some stiffer competition."

He straightened his belt.

"So I guess it's true what the old adage says… You want something done right, you gotta do it yourself…"

Tiberius and Lorelei nodded to each other, and the three Doomdreamers walked briskly out of the room.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MASTER AND SERVANT'S RESOLVE (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **A middle-aged man in a white _gi _kneeling in front of a small table holding a dagger, while a warrior with a sword stands nearby. (Most likely, this scene depicts an act of _seppuku._)

**Card Description: **When a Monster is destroyed by the effect of an Effect Monster during the Battle Phase, inflict damage to the destroyed Monster's controller equal to the ATK of the destroyed Monster. During each of your Standby Phases, you take 1,000 points of damage. If your Life Points are at 1,000 or lower, destroy this card.

_Note: "Master and Servant's Resolve" was first used by Mizoguchi in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "The Question of the Card". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHIEN'S NEGOTIATOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 600  
**DEF:** 400

**Card Description: **When a face-up Warrior-Type Monster you control is the target of an attack, you can activate the effect of this card by discarding it from your hand. The attack target is not destroyed by battle this turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next: **_

_**Ben: Once again, I am confronted by the fiend who was the dark side of Marik Ishtar. Only this time, he's more than willing to stay and confront me. **_

_**The stakes he places in this Shadow Duel could be catastrophic if I lose, but should I win and gain what he has promised, the answers I seek could be much closer…**_

_**Do I stand a chance? I couldn't beat Roxy in this den of evil… Can I beat an expert?**_

_**I must… So much is riding on it…**_

"_**The Wager; The Cold Dark" is coming soon.**_

_**I will know the truth!**_


	45. The Wager, A Cold Dark

_Author's note: Hello everyone. It's been a hectic few weeks. I went home to my parents' house for Independence Day weekend, and I was nowhere near my computer for about four days. On top of this, the chapter you are about to read is an important one, and I didn't want it rushed. Hence, it took a long time for me to update._

_Before I do anything else, I'd like to thank Metal Overlord 2.0 for helping me brainstorm and make the actual duel and plot of this chapter much better than it was before. I'm pleased with the result, and even I might start seeing Ben in a new way after this. _

_Read on…_

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Wager**

**A Cold Dark**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Ben slowly came to in a dark place. His head was spinning.

"Ooh…" he groaned. "Did someone get the number of that Monster that hit me?"

He slowly got up and looked around. He was in a dark, dreary dungeon. A few dim torches provided shadowy light.

"I know this place…" he said, ominously.

Then he heard a snickering sound, and saw two sinister eyes glaring at him from the shadows in front of him.

Ben stepped forward, and saw that it was Dark Marik again. But he clearly wasn't dreaming this time.

"So, it's you…" said Ben. "Why are you lurking in the darkness chuckling like some demented lunatic?"

He frowned.

"I mean… Other than the fact that you _are _one…"

"Sticks and stones, hero," said Marik, stepping into the light.

"So… What have you been doing since we last met? Has anyone else perished to prolong your unnatural life?"

"Why should I believe a single word you say?" asked Ben, nervously.

To be honest, he could only _hope _that Marik was lying.

He noticed that Marik was wearing a Duel Disk now. It was the same demonic style common to the cult of Tharizdun.

"You'll soon have all the proof you need," said the fiend.

"So a duel now?" asked Ben. "And a Shadow Duel, I suppose? One where I'll be trapped in my worst nightmares if I lose? Or maybe turned into a doll? I hear that's become quite popular these days…"

Marik chuckled a little.

"That would be amusing," he replied, "but my partner requires something with more substance this time…

"Shadow Duels can't be all fun and games any more like they were in the old days… Ever since I returned from the other side, it's been business before pleasure.

"You speak of the more modern punishment for losing Shadow Duels used by upstarts. Usually in more traditional versions of such contests, the combatants bet their lives… But I'm not even sure I can kill you that way…

"So here's the deal… If you defeat me here – as if – you get all your memories back."

"And if I don't?" asked Ben.

"Then you lose what you have," replied Marik, with a sinister grin. "Everything you've gained since you woke up in that morgue on the South Side."

"How the Hell did Tiberius find out about that?" shouted Ben.

"I never said my partner was Tiberius," chuckled Marik. "He's an exceptional person…"

"Who is he?" demanded Ben.

"You'll meet him eventually…" replied the fiend. "But exactly what happens then depends largely on what happens here…

"Incidentally, I'm not giving you a choice. As you can see, this chamber has no exits. The only way to enter or leave it is via magic that you don't have."

"I'm not afraid to duel you…" said Ben. "After all, from what I heard, your most powerful weapon is buried under the sands of Egypt…"

At that, the fiend in front of him laughed out loud.

"So it is!" he laughed. "So I don't have The Winged Dragon of Ra! Are you suggesting I can't duel without it?

"My other half founded the biggest organization of card ghouls in the world and was running it for a long time before he unearthed the three Egyptian God Cards. You don't start a group like that without becoming somewhat skilled in dueling.

"And in case you're wondering, I know everything he knew up to the point I separated from him… I think I can manage without my 'most powerful weapon'."

He lifted his arm, and the relatively small dungeon grew to almost four times its size. At the same time, it became illuminated by thousands of candles, giving the place a diabolical feel.

"So then…" said Marik. "The stage is set and the stakes have been made… Are you prepared to lose?"

Ben paused. He wanted to say he wasn't going to lose, but he wasn't so sure…

Marik's gloating wasn't just tripe. He _was _an expert. Could Ben possibly win after losing to someone like Roxy?

He'd had a Synchro Monster so powerful, that it had required two Tuners to summon… But she had still destroyed it and beaten him… The only thing worse than the pain had been the humiliation…

Looking around, he saw that there was indeed no way out. He was unarmed.

It seemed he had no choice…

As he activated his Duel Disk, he felt a feeling from it that he hadn't before… A feeling of warmth and invigoration…

Suddenly, he felt a little more confident… Not much, but a little…

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Ben: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Marik: 8,000)**

"The first move is yours…" said Marik.

Ben glared at his foe, and drew a card.

"I summon… Light Lindworm," he said.

There was an aura of light, and a large creature appeared in front of him. Though technically a Dragon, it looked more like a big lizard, lacking wings with a rough, armored hide, with multiple tails ending in spear-like points. (1,900 ATK)

"I set one card facedown," he continued, as a set card appeared in front of him, "and my turn is over."

Marik grinned as he made a draw.

"I summon Dark Crusader!" he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a Warrior appeared in an aura of shadow. He wore blackened armor with a tattered, red cape, had a skull-like face, and carried a sword that looked far too big for him to use. (1,600 ATK)

"Next, for each Dark-Attribute Monster that I choose to discard from my hand…" he continued.

He discarded two cards.

"…my Warrior permanently gains 400 Attack Points."

(2,400 ATK)

"Slay his Dragon!" laughed the fiend.

Dark Crusader lifted his sword, and swung it at Light Lindworm with a powerful smash, blowing the old wyrm to pieces.

"I activate… Soul Rope!" exclaimed Ben, as his facedown card lifted up.

"Eh?" said Marik. "Soul Rope?"

"I'll give up 1,000 Life Points…" said Ben, "and then summon a Level 4 Monster from my deck…

"I summon Kaiser Sea Horse!"

In another aura of light, the armored aquatic humanoid holding a spear and shield appeared in Light Lindworm's place. (1,700 ATK)

"Bah!" said Marik. "I end my turn…"

**(B: 6,500) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 8,000)**

Ben quickly drew a card.

"I don't suppose an expert like you needs to be told," he said, as Kaiser Sea Horse dissolved into grains of light, "that when this Monster is sacrificed to summon a Light-Attribute Monster, it can count as two Monsters.

"So… I summon Guardian Angel Joan!"

She appeared in a brilliant aura of light… A beautiful angel clad in white robes, with lovely, feathered wings, that radiated an aura of pure brilliance. Yet, she frowned as she looked at Marik. (2,800 ATK)

"Impressive…" said Marik.

"How's this for impressive?" asked Ben. "Attack his Dark Crusader! Divine Flame Strike!"

Joan flew at the evil Warrior, and blasted holy fire from her hands. He screamed and was blown into pieces as Marik grunted.

"And now Joan's effect comes into play," said Ben. "I gain Life Points equal to your destroyed Monster's base Attack Score."

**(B: 8,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,600)**

"Big deal…" growled Marik.

"I set this card facedown," said Ben, as a new set card appeared behind him, "and I end my turn…"

Marik frowned. He paused as he looked at his deck.

He made a draw. Then he grinned wickedly.

"Ready for some serious pain, hero?" asked Marik. "I have exactly three Dark Monsters in my Graveyard…"

_It can't be… _thought Ben.

Marik played the card, and there was an explosion of dark energy on his side of the field. With a bellowing roar, Dark Armed Dragon loomed over Ben. (2,800 ATK)

"I think I'll summon Vengeful Shinobi while I'm at it," said Marik, as he played another card.

A dark ninja assassin holding a kukri appeared next to the huge Dragon. (400 ATK)

"Now, for every Dark Monster in my Graveyard that I remove from play," continued Marik, as two cards slipped out of his discard slot, "My Dragon can destroy one card."

Dark Armed Dragon roared again, and both Joan and Ben's facedown Draining Shield shattered into shards.

"NO!" screamed Ben.

"If you think that was brutal," laughed Marik, "wait until you see its actual attack!

"Attack him directly! Genocide Blast!"

Dark Armed Dragon opened its jaws, and fired a beam of pure destructive darkness, striking Ben and propelling him against the wall. He hit hard, and slumped to the ground.

He barely felt it as Vengeful Shinobi threw its weapon, hitting him in the chest.

"I end my turn..." chuckled Marik, "and when D.D. Scout Planes are removed from play, they are summoned to the field at the end of the turn."

A portal opened, and two spherical robots, each with a large, single eye and two spindly arms, floated out. (800 ATK x2)

**(B: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,600)**

As Ben slowly got up, he heard crying and moaning. It seemed to be coming from the walls around him.

"What?" he said. "What's that?"

"It's the tears of the ones who've died to prolong your life, hero," chuckled Marik. "I forgot to mention… This Shadow Duel will make their cries of anguish that you didn't hear before all the more obvious…"

The crying increased, turning into wailing and sobbing.

"Can you hear it hero?" asked Marik. "Can you hear the Symphony of Sorrow? The cacophony of utter despair? Families torn, lives ruined, all to prolong your own miserable existence! My god it's almost too beautiful for words, even my sins pale in comparison with what you have done. As one monster to another I must say, I truly envy what you have become."

"No, no…" said Ben. "I'm not like you…"

He drew a card.

"I'll never be like you, understand?" he screamed.

He thrust a Spell Card forward.

"I play Star Blast! For every 500 Life Points that I pay, I can downgrade the Level of a Monster in my hand by 1. So I'll pay 2,000 Life Points to downgrade this one from 8 to 4."

_What? _thought Marik, opening his eyes wide. _That's a pretty big risk he's taking!_

"Now I can summon this Monster with no sacrifice," said Ben. "I summon… The Creator!"

There was a flash of lightning, and another radiant being appeared in an aura of light. It was a giant humanoid covered in golden armor, with a metal discus on its back that supported wings made of the same material, metallic versions of celestial wings. (2,300 ATK)

The crying and sobbing quickly died down. Ben paused…

"Now, I'm using its effect," he said.

He discarded Totem Dragon from his hand.

"For the cost of one card, I can bring Joan back from the Graveyard."

The Creator glowed with energy, and with a sound of celestial trumpets, Joan reappeared next to it. (2,800 ATK)

"So now what?" asked Marik. "Her Attack Score is equal to my Monsters'."

"But its Defense Score isn't too great," said Ben, as he played the last card in his hand. "Go, Book of Moon!"

Dark Armed Dragon vanished, and was replaced by a set card.

"And now Joan can easily destroy it. Attack! Divine Flame Strike!"

Joan launched her holy beams, and the wicked Dragon briefly appeared before it exploded into globules of darkness. Marik growled.

"Now, The Creator attacks Vengeful Shinobi!" shouted Ben. "Attack with Fires of Creation!"

The Creator lifted its hand, and formed a ball of crackling, fiery energy…

"I use Vengeful Shinobi's effect," said Marik. "I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

Then he braced himself as the ninja was blown to pieces.

"It's your move, pal…" said Ben.

**(B: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,700)**

Marik made another draw.

_Hmm… _he thought. _This Monster could destroy The Creator… But if he managed to make Joan stronger, he'd just gain far more Life Points…_

_I'd best wait until I can take care of both of them at once…_

"Here's a card that the Pharaoh was awfully fond of…" he said, as he threw a card into his Disk. "I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

The Spell Card appeared, and a storm of glowing blades shot out of the card, forming a cage around Ben and his Monsters.

"Not the Swords!" he gasped.

"Yes…" said Marik. "That will keep even the mightiest Monsters at bay for three full turns…

"Next, I set one facedown card, and move both my Scout Planes to Defense Mode."

A set card appeared behind the Scout Planes, and the two droids shielded themselves with their arms. (1,200 DEF x2)

"I'm finished," he said with a sly smile.

Ben made one draw.

_Not bad… _he thought.

"I play Reinforcement of the Army!" he exclaimed, as he played it.

A card slipped out of his deck, and he took it.

"Now I…"

"Trap activate…" said Marik.

"Eh?" said Ben, looking at it. "Zombie's Jewel?"

"This was a card I kept from the deck I used against the Pharaoh," chuckled Marik. "Some cards I just became sort of fond of…

"Anyway… Zombie's Jewel lets me take that Spell Card you just played as soon as it goes to your Graveyard…"

The Reinforcement of the Army card appeared in Marik's hand.

"Now, in exchange for that, you draw once… Best pray that it's a good one…"

Ben drew a card. He looked at it.

"It's still my turn, pal…" he said. "And you can't stop me from summoning the guy I got with that card.

"Meet Justice Bringer!"

A Warrior stepped onto the field. He wore formal attire similar to Judge Man's raiment, but he was much more human-looking. His helmet was bronze, and had four golden wings. He held a long staff with two crescent blades on the end. (1,700 ATK)

"I'll end my turn there," said Ben. "Two turns to go…"

Marik chuckled as he drew a card.

Then he laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" asked Ben.

"I just drew a card so rare," said Marik, "that even my 'better half' had never heard of it when he was the leader of the Rare Hunters…

"You know, that upstart duelist Jonouchi may have been a pain in the neck, but he had some good cards…"

"Upstart duelist?" asked Ben. "If I remember that story correctly, you would have lost that duel if he had remained conscious for five more seconds."

Marik growled.

"Don't remind me," he said.

"Besides," said Ben, "the only Dark Monster of note he used was his Dragon… And there are no Dark Counterparts to any of his other cards.

"How little you know," said Marik. "My partner directed me to this very special card…

"But before I use it… I'll use the Reinforcement of the Army I got from you…"

He played the Spell Card.

"…to get Dark Grepher from my deck."

He took the card from his deck, and quickly played it. An evil Warrior with coal-black skin and smoldering embers for eyes appeared in front of Marik. It was Warrior Dai Grepher right before he completed the transformation into Dark Lucius. (1,700 ATK)

"Now, I use Dark Grepher's effect…" said Marik. "I send one Dark Monster from my hand to my Graveyard…"

He discarded a card.

"…and then send one from my _deck _to the Graveyard."

He took a card from his deck, and discarded it as well.

"And now it's time for something completely different!" he cackled. "I sacrifice all three of my Monsters…"

The two D.D. Scout Planes and Dark Grepher turned into bonfires of black fire, and then into a globe of inky darkness. There was a sound like the rumble of thunder…

"I summon… _Gilford the Black!"_

With a roar, a hulking, massive Warrior leapt onto the field. Combining the worst aspects of Gilford the Lightning and Gilford the Legend, he was clothed in black iron barbarian armor and a blackened iron mask covering his face, under which wild, maddening eyes could be seen, He held a nasty two-handed sword… In _one _hand, as if it was no more than a dagger. (2,800 ATK)

"I could have Special Summoned him by sacrificing only _one _Dark Monster," chuckled Marik. "But the more, the better, because for every Dark Monster sacrificed, Gilford the Black can destroy one of your cards…

"Wipe out his Monsters! Dark Blade of Hell!"

"Go, Shield of Justice!" shouted Ben.

Justice Bringer held his staff in front of him, and closed his eyes. As the blast of dark energy shot towards his three Monsters, a golden energy shield sprang up, and the blast was deflected.

"HOW?" shouted Marik.

"Justice Bringer's effect," said Ben. "Your Warrior was Special Summoned, and once per round, Justice Bringer can negate the effect of a Special Summoned Monster."

Marik glared at him.

_Okay… _thought the fiend. _Now my patience is wearing thin…_

"Attack The Creator!" he commanded.

Gilford the Black swung his mighty sword, cutting the golden deity in twain. The two pieces shattered.

Marik looked at the last card in his hand.

"I'm not done…" he said. "Because I have at least three Dark Monsters in my Graveyard, I can remove two of them from play to send this one _to _the Graveyard."

He discarded the card.

"…and you'll get to see it next turn. My turn is over, and because I just removed my two Scout Planes from play again…"

The two D.D. Scout Planes appeared again. (800 ATK x2)

**(B: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,700)**

Ben paused to catch his breath.

_That was close… _he thought. _And I still can't attack with these blasted Swords in the way…_

He drew a card.

_Maybe this will help…_

"I play…. Akashic Record," he said, as he played the Spell Card.

He made two draws.

He turned them forward, showing that they had clearly not been used yet.

"I move Justice Bringer to Defense Mode…" he said.

The Warrior knelt, and held his staff in his lap. (1,000 DEF)

"Then I summon Herald of Creation," he continued.

In another aura of light, a woman in flowing, golden robes and a veil, with long, blonde hair, appeared next to Joan. She was holding a long staff tipped with a design that resembled the discus on The Creator's back. (1,800 ATK)

"Now I'll use her effect," he continued.

He discarded a card, and the Herald started to chant.

"By making one discard, I can recover a Level 7 or higher Monster from my Graveyard."

The Creator slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

He looked at it. Then he looked at the other card in his hand, a Trap Card.

_Better wait to set this, _he thought. _I have a pretty good idea what's coming next…_

"My turn is over…" he said.

"In that case, I draw!" exclaimed Marik.

"And during my Standby Phase, the Monster I sent to the Graveyard last turn rises to the field… Behold… _Dark Nephthys!"_

With a screech and an explosion of dark flames, a huge bird covered with black, metallic armor shrouded in black fire, a grim parody of the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, rose onto the field. (2,400 ATK)

"You made a mistake, Marik," said Ben. "When that Monster is summoned, it automatically destroys one Spell or Trap Card on the field… And the only one it can destroy is your Swords of Revealing Light!"

The glowing swords shattered into pixels. Marik growled.

"I was kind of hoping that your Justice Bringer's effect wasn't optional…" he said with a sneer. "But no matter…"

He played the card he had just drawn.

"I activate… Shrink!"

Joan gasped, and she was reduced to half her normal size. (1,400 ATK)

"That fool Kaiba was a big fan of this card," he chuckled. "He actually used it to help me during the four-way duel in the Battle City finals!"

"Kaiba was a fool?" asked Ben. "I remember his role in that story too… He figured out a way to defeat Ra, didn't he?"

Marik growled again. Then he pointed, and Gilford the Black swung his mighty sword, blowing Joan to pixels.

Then Dark Nephthys breathed a gout of dark flames, and Herald of Creation was incinerated.

Ben held his chest in pain, and the crying and sobbing coming from the walls of the chamber started to get louder again…

"No…" he begged. "Forgive me, please…"

**(B: 3,200) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,700)**

"Once again, I move my two Scout Planes to Defense Mode…" said Marik, as the two Machines defended. (1,200 DEF)

"…and I end my turn…"

Tears and sweat started to drip down Ben's face. He tried hard to ignore the cries of anguish, but they were so intense…

His hand was shaking, but he somehow managed to drew a card.

He set it and another card in his Disk, and two set cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

He took a deep breath.

"Done!" he said.

"To think I expected a challenge from you," laughed Marik, as he drew a card. "This is like target practice…

"Dark Nephthys, obliterate his final Monster! Flaming Scourge!"

The evil phoenix blasted its flame, blowing Justice Bringer to shards.

"Gilford the Black, attack him directly!" continued Marik.

The barbarian roared, and lunged towards Ben.

"I activate… Defense Draw!" shouted Ben, as his facedown card lifted up.

Gilford's blade stopped short.

"I not only escape without a scratch, but I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

Marik frowned.

"Then make your move…" he said.

"Oh, I will…" said Ben, drawing a card.

Then his other facedown card lifted up.

"Due to my Common Sacrifice Trap Card, I can send your two weakest Monsters to the Graveyard…"

The two D.D. Scout Planes vanished.

"…and _then _I can Special Summon a high-Level Monster from my hand. You remember this guy, right?"

In an explosion of golden fire, The Creator appeared again, this time kneeling in Defense Mode. (3,000 DEF)

"Now, it's time for him to do what he does best," said Ben, as he discarded a Masked Dragon from his hand.

The celestial choir sounded again, and Guardian Angel Joan appeared once more. (2,800 ATK)

_I'm getting awfully sick of her… _thought Marik.

"Now…" said Ben, as he took the last card in his hand, "I use the Equip Spell, Unstable Evolution, and I Equip it to Gilford the Black."

As he played the card, Gilford became hunched over, somewhat more muscular, and simian in appearance. (2,400 ATK)

"Because my Life Points are less than yours, this Equip Spell makes his Attack Score 2,400, which is just enough for Joan to handle.

"Attack, destroy him!"

Marik was about to lift his hand, as if to respond to this…

But then he seemed to change his mind. Joan's radiant beams struck the evil imposter, blowing him to pieces.

The sobbing and crying started to quiet down again. Ben sighed with relief.

"And once again, due to her effect, I gain Life Points…" said Ben. "It's your move…"

**(B: 5,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,300)**

Marik drew a card.

He quickly set both of his cards in his Disk, and both a set Monster and a card set in his Spell Zone appeared. Then he turned a card, and Dark Nephthys folded its wings in Defense Mode. (1,600)

"Your move…" he said.

"I draw!" said Ben.

"And I summon Sacred Knight Joan!"

In another aura of light, the Warrior that Penelope used, the one that depicted Joan of Arc as a mortal woman, appeared with his other two Monsters. (1,900 ATK)

Then The Creator got up, and moved to Attack Mode. (2,300 ATK)

"Guardian Angel Joan, attack his Dark Nephthys!"

"Not so fast!" shouted Marik, as his facedown card lifted up. "This is one of my favorite Traps! The dreaded Nightmare Wheel!"

The horrible torture device appeared, and to Ben's shock, Joan was bound to it. He could only look in surprise as Marik chuckled evilly.

"You know…" said Marik. "Some say that this device was based on an instrument of torture called St. Catherine's Wheel… St. Catherine was a martyr who, according to legend, was sentenced to be executed with it… But the legend says she not only survived it, the wheel broke when they tried to use it on her. So she was burned instead.

"Joan of Arc was a martyr too… I don't believe they tried this on her before _she _was burned… But why don't we see if she can withstand it, eh?"

"You know something, Marik?" said Ben. "I don't find you funny in the least… Creator, _you _destroy his phoenix!"

The Creator powered up its Fires of Creation, and threw them at the Dark Winged Beast, blowing it to pieces.

Sacred Knight Joan leapt at the set Monster with her sword held high, her Attack Score falling to 1,600. The Morphing Jar appeared, and lurched out of its jar right before she slashed it to ribbons.

Marik chuckled, and made five draws. Ben did the same.

"No harm, no foul, eh hero?" he said.

"Make your move…" said Ben.

"Oh, I will," said Marik, as he made another draw. "And it seems that this is an ironic coincidence…

"First, you take 500 points of damage from the Nightmare Wheel."

The horrible wheel started to turn. Ben forced himself to look away. Joan didn't scream, but when Ben looked again, she clearly wasn't happy.

_Don't worry… _he thought, as he looked at her. _It won't happen again… And you can help me next turn, if Marik is as sadistic as I think…_

"Now then…" said Marik, "Because I control no Monsters and I have at least five Dark Monsters in my Graveyard… I can Special Summon The Dark Creator!"

With a flash of lightning and an aura of shadow, an evil twin of Ben's Monster appeared. It had glossy black armor instead of gold, and its wings were bat-like. (2,300 ATK)

"Now, I use its effect…" continued Marik. "By removing a Scout Plane from play once again, I get to Special Summon a Dark Monster from my Graveyard…"

With a roar, Gilford the Black reappeared. (2,800 ATK)

"And now it's time to deal out some punishment of my own… Gilford, destroy The Creator again!"

Just like before, the Dark Warrior brought his sword down on the golden entity, smashing it to golden shards.

"And now my Dark Creator will vanquish your Sacred Knight!"

The Dark Creator formed a crackling orb of darkness, and hurled it at Sacred Knight Joan. She screamed and fell backwards before shattering.

"I use her effect!" shouted Ben.

He quickly discarded a card.

"By sending one card in my hand to the Graveyard, I get to recover a Warrior from my Graveyard."

He took a card from his discard slot. It was The Creator Incarnate, the card he discarded to pay The Creator's cost last time.

Marik chuckled.

"In that case, hero," he said, "I set one card facedown, and end my turn. I'm sure you know what that means…"

A set card appeared, and D.D. Scout Plane emerged from the portal again. (800 ATK)

**(B: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 5,300)**

Ben drew a card.

"Time to turn this around, Marik!" he said. "I summon the Tuner Monster, Hanewata!"

With a loud squeak, a _little _Monster appeared. It looked like a Watapon, only with wings. (200 ATK)

Guardian Angel Joan, strained, and then broke free from her chains. The Nightmare Wheel fell to the ground and shattered. She looked at Marik with an expression of fury.

"I Tune my Level 1 Hanewata with my Level 7 Guardian Angel Joan…" said Ben, as the two Fairies turned into a cluster of stars.

"_Let the power of Light shine down from the heavens and give birth to a being of pure, unspoiled radiance!"_

**(*1 + *7 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Light End Dragon!"_

An aura of super-intense Light gave way to a large and incredibly beautiful Dragon alighting on Ben's side of the field. It was serpentine with platinum scales, had two small claws, four feathered wings, a crown of gold on its head shaped like a halo, and a golden breastplate with a large, perfectly cut emerald in the center. (2,600 ATK)

"Ergh…" said Marik, as he shielded himself from the light. His two Monsters didn't seem to like it much either.

"All right!" shouted Ben. "Now my Dragon attacks your Dark Creator! And by shaving 500 Attack Points off of his Scores, he can reduce the Scores of the target's by 1,500!"

Light End Dragon roared again. Its Attack Score fell to 2,100, while The Dark Creator's fell to only 800…

"Attack! Shining Sublimation!"

"I remove Necro Gardna from play to negate your attack!" shouted Marik.

The card slipped out of his discard slot, and the blast was halted in mid-air.

_Of course… _thought Ben, nervously. _What else are you going to discard when you use Dark Grepher's effect?_

"Most people use the effect of this card at the earliest opportunity…" chuckled Marik, as he held up the card. "I say… It's all a matter of timing…"

He laughed evilly as the card vanished in a dark shadow.

Ben took a card from his hand and set it in his Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"I'll end with that…" he said.

Marik chuckled as he made a draw. Then his facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Tyrant's Temper," he said.

Ben had never seen this Trap before. The card art showed the underwear-clad king from The Emperor's Holiday yelling angrily at Marauding Captain.

"I simply sacrifice a Monster," he said, as the D.D. Scout Plane vanished, "and my Monsters become immune to all Trap Cards except this one.

"Now, I use The Dark Creator's effect again, removing D.D. Scout Plane from play again…"

Ben thought that Marik was going to bring back Dark Nephthys… But to his surprise, the Monster that appeared was completely different. It looked like the Ancient Gear Golem, but rather than being covered with rusty, gunmetal grey armor, it was covered with glossy black armor similar to The Dark Creator's. It had the same glowing optic sensor and it glared at Ben and his Dragon. (3,000 ATK)

"Meet my Dark Gear Golem," said Marik. "This was the Monster I discarded from my hand when I used Dark Grepher's effect. It may not have its counterpart's effects, but as you can see, it can indeed be Special Summoned…

"And now…"

"Go, Threatening Roar!" shouted Ben, as his Trap Card shot up.

"Afraid you can't attack this turn…"

Marik grinned.

"Well, in that case," said the fiend, "I'll set these…"

A facedown Monster appeared with his others, and a set card appeared behind it.

"…and end my turn…"

D.D. Scout Plane appeared once more. (800 ATK)

"So what will you do?" asked Marik. "Your Dragon can defeat one of these Monsters… But it will lack the power to defeat another one when my turn comes around…"

Ben didn't respond. Then the crying and sobbing started again.

"You don't like losing, do you?" asked Marik. "You say Kaiba wasn't a fool… You say he knew how to defeat Ra… Well, it's strange… He wasn't the one confronting me in the final round, with both Osiris and Obelisk in his deck."

_The Pharaoh had a card that could beat Ra too… _thought Ben. _Ragnarok… And it actually worked when he used it. _

"You see, 'hero'," chuckled Marik, "Kaiba had the same problem you did… He got too big for his britches… Folks say I was always too proud for my own good… Well, maybe I am… And let me tell you, you're an egotist after my own heart…

"I saw the duel with Roxy… Very interesting… Do you know why you lost?"

He chuckled again.

"Roxy might not have bothered to use Giant Trunade if she didn't know about Vairon Omega's final effect," he continued. "But she knew… Because you boasted about it before she made that move!

"It was so hilarious…"

Ben didn't answer right away. He looked down at his feet, not saying anything for a long time. Then he sighed and brushed some of his hair away from his face.

"It does seem like I've been gotten pretty full of myself hasn't it?" he finally said. "It's funny, but hearing you talk about how everything in the universe hinges on the balance between Light and Darkness, Chaos and Order, it made me realize something.

"I've..."

He paused before sighing as he started again.

"I've been way too inwardly focused, ever since I woke up in that morgue. At first, all I cared about was getting my memories back… With every clue to my past I chomped at the bit rushing from one lead to another… Everyone I met, friends, foes, they seemed so small...so unimportant. The Dread Emperor, Willy, Kesto, even poor Ravel. I started treating everyone I fought as beneath me, thinking it would all be worth it once I regained my memories, and discovered my true self.

"It seems that whoever I was before I met Ravel the first time… He was an arrogant son of a bitch… Maybe that's how I got into this whole mess…

"But now…"

His right hand clenched into a fist.

"Now I know that getting my memories back, that finding my true self… it all doesn't mean shit if I only end up looking back with shame at what I was willing to become to get there! I'm not the only one with a stake in this fight… The people who took me in and treated me like family are risking their lives for something bigger then who's right or wrong, or who's more powerful. We're fighting to protect all of creation… Every human, every Shadow... Every resident of Heaven, Hell, and every realm in-between… If Tharizdun returns nobody will be spared, so I can't keep on acting like some petty little child and act like I'm above it all!"

He drew the top card off his deck.

"So I'll use the strength all of my opponents have given me, good or evil, strong or weak, and the lessons taught to me by everyone who's helped me when I needed them the most, and I'll take down you, Tiberius, and everyone else involved in this mad plan!"

He looked at the card he had drawn. The crying and sobbing suddenly went dead silent.

"What's this?" asked Marik.

"THIS is my move!" said Ben, as he played the card.

The Pot of Avarice appeared in front of him. He took Sacred Knight Joan, Totem Dragon, Masked Dragon, Light Lindworm, and Herald of Creation from his discard slot, and added them to his deck. The deck was reshuffled, and he made two draws.

_All right… _he said, as he looked at them. _Now I might have a chance…_

"Light End Dragon…" he commanded. "Destroy The Dark Creator!"

Light End Dragon roared, and its Attack Score went down to 1,600, while The Dark Creator's Attack Score once again fell to 800. With a blast of holy light, the evil Thunder Monster was blown to particles.

"ERGH!" grunted Marik.

"I activate a Trap…" he growled, as his facedown card lifted up. "Retribution of the Dark Ruler! Because my Dark Monster was destroyed and I took damage, you take 200 points of damage times the Level of my destroyed Monster!"

A bolt of dark energy shot from the card, and struck Ben.

He barely seemed to care.

"I'll set _three _cards facedown," said Ben, as three set cards appeared in his Spell Zone, "and my turn ends…"

"Three set cards," growled Marik. "Have you forgotten the effect of my Tyrant's Temper?"

**(B: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 4,500)**

He made a draw.

"I summon Dark Battle Ox!" he exclaimed.

The Monster that appeared was a dead ringer for its classic namesake, but its armor was completely black, and it held a nastier, serrated axe. (1,700 ATK)

"This whole Dark Counterpart thing is getting out of hand," said Ben.

"It may not look like much," said Marik, "but it gives ALL my Dark Monsters a trampling effect!"

_Now who's boasting about the effects of his Monsters? _thought Ben. _If there ever was a case of the pot calling the kettle black…_

"Dark Gear Golem…" ordered Marik, "attack his Light End Dragon! Dark Crush!"

The huge Machine prepared to throw a punch at the Dragon…

"I activate… Forbidden Chalice!" shouted Ben.

One of his facedown cards sprang up.

"With this Spell Card, a Monster on the field loses its effect, and gains 400 Attack Points…"

"Wait…" said Marik, opening his eyes wide. "If your Dragon loses its effect…"

"That's right…" said Ben. "It regains the 1,000 Attack Points it lost. And don't forget, it gains 400 from the effect of Forbidden Chalice."

(3,000 ATK)

Light End Dragon roared, and flew to meet the Golem's attack. Both Ben and Marik braced themselves as both Monsters exploded.

"Bah!" shouted Marik. "I can still finish you… Gilford, attack him directly!"

Gilford lifted his sword…

"I activate… Miracle's Wake!" shouted Ben, as another facedown card lifted up.

Light End Dragon reappeared on the field with a bellow. (2,600 ATK)

"You know…" sneered Marik. "You're starting to annoy me!

"My attack is called off! I move D.D. Scout Plane to Defense Mode…"

The Scout Plane defended again. (1,200 DEF)

"Then I set this…"

He set a card, and a new facedown card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"Make your move…"

Ben drew a card.

He started to reach for a card in his hand…

Then he paused. His hand trembled a little.

He looked at the Monster Card. A female Warrior called Pious Warrior Rowen. She was Level 4… She could defeat Dark Battle Ox…

But a feeling deep in Ben's gut told him not to play this card… The same feeling told him that it just wouldn't be right…

His hand moved away.

"Light End Dragon, attack Gilford the Black!" he commanded. "Shining Sublimation!"

Again, Light End Dragon's Attack Score fell to 2,100, while Gilford's fell to 1,300. A beam of light shot from the Dragon's jaws, and Gilford the Black burst into gibbets.

**(B: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,700)**

Ben took a card from his hand, and set it in his Disk. A facedown card appeared next to his other one.

He glared at Marik. For the first time, the demon in front of him looked a little nervous…

Marik drew a card.

"Hmm…" he said.

"I flip my Dark Mimic LV1 into Attack Mode…" he said.

His facedown Monster flipped face-up, revealing a small, fiendish-looking treasure chest. (100 ATK)

He made one draw. He frowned when he looked at it.

Then his facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Dark Spirit Art – Greed," he said. "Now, I sacrifice one Dark Monster…"

The Dark Mimic vanished.

"And I get to draw two cards… _unless _you counter this effect by revealing a Spell Card in your hand."

"I don't have one," said Ben.

Marik made two draws.

Then he made a grin that Ben did not like at all…

"Now it ends, 'hero'…" he said. "I hope that speech you made felt good…

"Because I have at least four Dark Monsters in my Graveyard with different names, I can Normal Summon this Monster with one sacrifice, so long as I'm sacrificing a Dark Monster…

"So…"

The D.D. Scout Plane turned into an orb of darkness…

"Come forth, Darklord Zerato!"

The whole room went dim, and above diabolic laughter, a sinister-looking fallen angel appeared. His skin was ebony black, he wore a dark helmet and a cloak that gave the illusion of wings, and he held a nasty serrated sword. (2,800 ATK)

"Now I'll use his effect," laughed Marik. "By discarding one Dark Monster in my hand, I can wipe out all of your Monsters!"

He quickly discarded a Doomsday Horror, and dark lightning flashed, blowing Light End Dragon to pieces.

"I could just end this with one mighty strike from him… But why let my other Monster go to waste?

"Dark Battle Ox, attack him directly!"

The Beast-Warrior charged at Ben, and slammed his axe into him hard. Ben struggled to keep his footing.

**(B: 900) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,700)**

"You're through!" shouted Marik. "Darklord Zerato, finish him off!"

The fallen angel flew at Ben, and hit him hard with his sword. Ben didn't scream, but this time he truly fell over…

"Hmm…" said Marik.

The dust started to clear…

Ben slowly got up…

**(B: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,700)**

"WHAT?" screamed Marik. "You _gained _Life Points?"

Ben pointed to his Trap Card, which he had activated.

"All thanks to Nutrient Z," he said. "Because Darklord Zerato's attack was capable of doing at least 2,000 points of damage, I gained 4,000 Life Points before I lost any."

Marik looked on the verge of losing his temper.

"I'm not done!" he shouted, as he played a Spell Card. "I play The Beginning of the End! Because I have at least seven Dark Monsters in my Graveyard now, I can remove five of them from play to draw three times!"

Both Scout Planes, Dark Armed Dragon, The Dark Creator, and Dark Mimic LV1 fell out of his discard slot. He made three draws.

Marik smirked slightly.

"I think I'll use the effect of my Dark Gear Golem," he said.

"It's in your Graveyard!" responded Ben.

"That's the idea," replied Marik.

He discarded three cards from his hand: Sangan, Metabo Globster, and Mask of Darkness.

"The regular Ancient Gear Golem can't be Special Summoned," he continued, "but Dark Gear Golem's effect is all about Special Summoning it. Because the Levels of those Monsters I just tossed total the Level of the Golem…

"Well, see for yourself…"

In a shadowy aura, the Dark Gear Golem towered over the field again. (3,000 ATK)

"I'll set one more card," said Marik.

A facedown card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"…and my turn ends… You know what that means…"

The portal opened again, and the two D.D. Scout Planes flew out. (800 ATK x2)

"It also means that Darklord Zerato leaves," said Ben, "because you used his effect."

Zerato shattered into pixels. Marik frowned.

Ben glared at him, and drew a card.

_Uh huh, _he thought, as he looked at it.

"My Trap activates!" exclaimed Marik.

His facedown card lifted up.

"It's called Fake Friendship Treaty, and it prevents you from summoning any Monsters that are Level 4 or lower."

He chuckled, and then looked at the two cards in his hand, Dark Wall of Wind and Shadowpriestess of Ohm.

_With him only able to set Monsters, _he thought, _mine are safe, and I can summon this one next turn…_

_She'll be able to inflict 800 points of damage for each Dark Monster I sacrifice… I only need to sacrifice three, and this duel will be over…_

"Well then…" said Ben.

Marik looked up.

"If I can't summon any low-Level Monsters…" said Ben, "I'll have to go higher!"

Guardian Angel Joan and Hanewata appeared behind him, and then faded into grains of light.

"By removing two Light Monsters in my Graveyard from play," he continued, "I can Special Summon Soul of Purity and Light!"

A woman in a long gown with wings who looked almost transparent appeared in front of him, her hands clasped in a praying position. (2,000 ATK)

Marik frowned.

_Well, so much for Dark Battle Ox… _he thought. _But I can still…_

His train of thought was interrupted by what Ben said next:

"I sacrifice Soul of Purity and Light…"

The spirit vanished.

"To summon the divine punisher…"

There was a rumbling and the whole chamber shook as a gargantuan form rose behind Ben…

"I summon… _Majestic Mech – Goryu!"_

A Fairy of gigantic proportions seemed to fill the whole chamber. It bore resemblance to a giant, serpentine dragon, with a segmented body made of gold and platinum, with two metal wings made in the shape of a seraphim's. (2,900 ATK)

Now Marik looked more than nervous… He looked downright frightened…

"Attack the D.D. Scout Plane on the left!" shouted Ben. "Sacred Lightning!"

Goryu bellowed, and it seemed that the whole chamber erupted in a violent thunder storm. The small Machine exploded, and Marik screamed as he was thrown backwards, knocking over a whole set of candelabras.

**(B: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 1,600)**

He slowly got up, and glared at Ben with an expression of pure hate…

"I hope that was worth it, you utter fool…" he said through his teeth. "You summoned that thing with only one sacrifice… That means it will go to the Graveyard when your turn ends…"

Ben glared back at him…

Then his facedown card lifted up…

"I activate Miraculous Descent," he said, as he stared at the demon. "By using this Trap Card, I can Special Summon a Fairy that I removed from play…"

There were no celestial choirs this time… Guardian Angel Joan appeared once more, but judging by her expression as she looked at Marik, she was angry… Maybe even a little pissed… (2,800 ATK)

"Oh… no…" said Marik.

Ben simply pointed, and Joan launched her holy fire one last time, smashing the other D.D. Scout Plane. Marik screamed again…

**(B: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 0)**

Marik clutched his chest.

"No, wait!" he shouted to someone that Ben couldn't see. "You can't! We had a deal!

"It wasn't my fault! No! I don't want to go back to…"

Before he could say anymore, he burst in an explosion of foul, black smoke. His Duel Disk fell to the ground with a clatter.

Ben fell to his knees. His heart was pounding, and sweat was pouring down his face.

He looked around. The dungeon had returned to its previous size, and the hellish candles were gone.

He sighed. He wondered what would happen next. Was this mysterious partner that Marik spoke of going to appear? He hoped not… He was exhausted… He felt like he wanted to throw up...

Then he realized that someone was indeed in the room with him.

Looking up, he saw the dark homunculus that had transported him to the room with Roxy.

Slowly, he stood up. He looked at the homunculus, and it looked back with its blank face for a long time.

Then Ben screamed and clutched his head…

He collapsed, and for the second time tonight, everything went dark…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LIGHT LINDWORM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,900  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Flavor Text:** _An ancestor of modern Dragons, the Lindworms were until recently thought to be extinct. Their lack of wings distinguishes them from their modern kin._

_Note: "Light Lindworm" was first used by Manjyome in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**COMMON SACRIFICE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Freed the Brave Wanderer, Sasuke Samurai, and Marauding Captain confronting a hulking, demonic creature in an evil temple.

**Card Description: **Activate during your Main Phase when your opponent controls 3 or more face-up Monsters. Send the 2 face-up Monsters your opponent controls with the lowest ATKs to the Graveyard; then, select a Level 7 or higher Monster from your hand that can be Normal Summoned, and Special Summon it.

_Note: "Common Sacrifice" was first used by Judai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Power Within (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ZOMBIE'S JEWEL (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A zombie holding a gemstone that is pulsating with light.

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent activates a Spell Card. Your opponent draws 1 card. When the activated Spell Card is sent to the Graveyard, add it to your hand.

_Note: "Zombie's Jewel" was first used by Marik in the original anime episode "The Final Face-Off (Part 1)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**FAKE FRIENDSHIP TREATY (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **A human hand shaking hands with a clawed hand as a fiendish shadow laughs in the background.

**Card Description: **Your opponent cannot Summon Level 4 or lower Monsters. If a Monster you control attacks, or you inflict damage to your opponent with a card effect, destroy this card.

_Note: "Fake Friendship Treaty" was first used by the spirit of Scarr, Scout of Dark World in the Yu-Gi-Oh GX episode "Friend or Fiend". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK GEAR GOLEM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 3,000

**Card Description: **If this card is in your Graveyard, you can discard DARK Monsters from your hand whose combined Levels are equal to or greater than the Level of this card to Special Summon it. Battle Damage to your opponent inflicted by this card is reduced to zero.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK BATTLE OX (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast-Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **As long as this card remains face-up on the field, when DARK Monsters you control attack with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position Monsters, inflict the difference in battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.

_Note: "Dark Gear Golem" and "Dark Battle Ox" were first used by MichaelDJ54 for his fic, "Shadowchasers: City of Angels". Used with permission. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GILFORD THE BLACK (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,800  
**DEF:** 1,400

**Card Description: **You may Special Summon this card from your hand by offering any number of DARK Monsters you control as a Tribute. If this card is Special Summoned in this manner, you may destroy 1 card your opponent controls for every Monster Tributed.

_Note: "Gilford the Black" was first used by Metal Overlord 2.0 for his fic, "Shadowchasers: Dance Macabre". Used with permission. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RETRIBUTION OF THE DARK RULER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Dark King of the Abyss screaming in pain and holding his head as a phantom form of Dark Ruler Ha Des lurks in the background.

**Card Description: **Activate when a DARK Monster you control is destroyed as a result of battle and you take damage. Inflict damage to your opponent equal to 200x the Level of the destroyed Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Dugan: I can't find Karl, Nichole, or Ben, and I'm getting worried. But I have found Tiberius… Or perhaps he's found me.**_

_**He's confronted me in a dark place full of human remains, some sort of prison that he claims is meant to hold one of the Brotherhood… And now he's challenged me to a duel.**_

_**Can I defeat him? And what the Hell **_**is **_**the Brotherhood? It seems Tharizdun has some dark secrets, and maybe it would be best if they were left dark. **_

_**Coming soon, all will be revealed. "The Brotherhood, Remnants of a Dark Age" is next.**_


	46. The Brotherhood, Remnant from a Dark Age

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Brotherhood**

**Remnants of a Dark Age**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As Dugan wandered through the halls and chambers of the tower, never relaxing his grip on his weapon, he came to the conclusion that this place had been conceived in the mind of a madman.

The confusing and chaotic architecture seemed to have several places that were entirely pointless. A corridor would go down two-hundred feet, only to turn back on itself and go in the opposite direction. He investigated chambers and rooms that seemed to have no purpose he could fathom.

He had a sinking suspicion that there was a secret to getting to the right places in this stronghold fast that he wasn't privy to, and that walking would never get him anywhere useful.

Even worse were the grotesque paintings he saw in some of the chambers. In one, there was an oil painting above a mantelpiece of the 5th Century Romanian tyrant Vlad Tepes overseeing his favorite form of execution – impalement. It was far more graphic than the well-known wood carvings and sketches that had been done of him. Another painting showed a man in Renaissance nobleman's clothing flogging a woman who was naked and bound to a post by her wrists. (The title of the painting said that the man was Donatien Alphonse François;that was the Marques de Sade's real name, as Dugan was well aware of.)

Even worse were the paintings of Shadowkind and situations that he could not identify. One depicted a fiendishly beautiful woman who he guessed was a vampire, dressed in a harlot's clothing, who was holding the heart of a man who lay dead at her feet. One hideous painting he found in an alcove showed a werewolf dressed in red clothing, carrying a sack full of human limbs through a burnt-out ruin. (The title of the work was _Santa Claws; _Dugan sincerely hoped that this was the artist's idea of a sick joke, and not a depiction of an actual Shadowkind.)

The worst painting was that of an evil-looking priest in a dark cloak – he guessed a Doomdreamer – about to sacrifice a maiden on an altar of black stone while many other figures in dark cloaks stood by. The victim, who was naked, bound, and spread out, looked strangely indifferent to the horrible fate that was about to befall her.

All of this may have turned Dugan's stomach if he had not been the man he was. Even so, he felt more eager than before to take down the ones behind this horrible plan.

He checked his watch. He had been here longer than he had thought. It was nine o'clock already. And he still had no idea where the others were.

He slowly walked down a flight of stairs, tensing as he did…

He walked into a torch-lit room and cautiously looked around. He saw a raised pedestal in the center, raised about a foot off the floor, and a rock formation that looked like a stalagmite with the top sawed off about ten feet in front of it, forming a table of sorts… He looked to the side, and saw what looked like a fuse box on the wall with six colored buttons: gold, red, brown, green, blue, and violet. Chains with shackles and manacles meant to hold something bigger than a human were set in the walls.

Then he saw them… Bones. Human bones and skulls were scattered around, tossed haphazardly in piles. The stench of death was in the air…

"This looks like a cell meant to hold some beast…" he mused. "But why is there no door on the doorway? How would they keep anything from getting out?"

"Because what this room is meant to hold could never possibly fit out of the doorway," said a familiar voice.

Dugan turned and pointed his blunderbuss as Tiberius walked in.

"What's going on here?" he demanded. "What's the deal with this big castle you've conjured up?" 

Tiberius smirked slightly.

"You're a former Marine, Major Dugan…" he said. "Marines pride themselves on being fearless soldiers with guts of iron…"

"Damn right!" snapped Dugan.

"Still…" said Tiberius.

He paused for a second.

"If you knew what this room was for, you likely would have run five miles by now… You ever hear of the Brotherhood?"

"No," said Dugan. "Should I have?"

Tiberius looked around before continuing. It was almost as if this room made even him nervous.

"In ancient times," said the Doomdreamer, "when the Dark God was still free, his most powerful worshipers knew how to conduct the rituals that turned human prisoners into demonic creatures known as the Brotherhood. These ferocious, ravenous beasts carried the Dark God's spark within them, and were loyal only to him. They were his enforcers in the mortal world. His favored servants.

"But when he was imprisoned, the ritual used to create them was lost, and the existing Brotherhood all went hopelessly insane. They became nearly mindless engines of destruction. Still, they were considered sacred beasts by the faithful, still holding the Dark God's divine spark… So getting rid of them was out of the question.

"Only the most powerful Doomdreamers can control them. I don't fit the bill… But I can summon one to this room under certain conditions…"

"I thought you were crazy before," said Dugan. "Ask any wizard, and he'll say that the first rule of summoning is, never summon something you can't control. If this thing is all you say it is, it would likely kill us both."

"True, true…" replied Tiberius. "So I'm going to have to restrain you first."

He snapped his fingers, and the dark dungeon melted away.

Dugan looked around, and he saw that the two of them were standing in a large, circular arena, lit with torches, with ominous gargoyles on the walls.

Tiberius was wearing one of the sinister-looking Duel Disks common to the Order of the Dark God, and Dugan also noticed that his blunderbuss was gone.

"Here's the deal, Major Dugan," said Tiberius. "You want to know what the whole deal is with this tower I've made rise from the depths of Lake Michigan?

"Defeat me in this Shadow Duel, and I will surrender."

"How do I know that your promise isn't just bullshit, Tiberius?" asked Dugan.

"I give you my word as a former Captain of the United States Air Force," replied Tiberius.

Dugan looked at Tiberius hard. He would have liked to not believe that… Unfortunately, he had a very hard time doing so. Tiberius had once been an Air Force Chaplain… For a long time now, Dugan had at least hoped that somewhere, somewhere deep inside the man in front of him, the honor that Tiberius possessed as a member of the military, not to mention some remnant of the man of God he once was, still remained.

Besides, looking around, he saw that there was no way out of this arena. Without his gun, he didn't know what options he had remaining…

And furthermore, as Jalal often told his men, when someone offered you a fighting chance, it was best to take it. Every Shadowchaser knew that rule.

"All right…" he said. "You're on…"

His Duel Disk activated, and the deck was reshuffled.

**(Dugan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Tiberius: 8,000)**

"I'll make the first move…" said Tiberius, as he drew a card.

He looked over the six cards in his hand carefully.

"I'll set this, and this," he said.

A set Monster appeared, and then a set card appeared behind that.

"…and then you go…"

Dugan drew a card. He cautiously looked at his foe. Tiberius had quite the poker face.

"Come on out, Scrap Beast!" he shouted.

With a growl, the mechanical hound leapt onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

"What a surprise," said Tiberius, with a yawn. "Could you be any more predictable?"

Dugan glared at him.

"Attack!" he shouted. "Junkyard frenzy!"

Scrap Beast pounced and Bro Gargoyle appeared on the card, right before it was smashed to shards of rock.

"I end my turn…" he said.

"Then I start mine," said Tiberius, as he made a draw.

"I summon Mine Golem!" he exclaimed.

With a rumble, the ground burst open, and the large golem with a pack on its back and a gas mask over its mouth appeared. (1,000 ATK)

"Next," he said, as his facedown card lifted up, "I activate Powerful Rebirth. It brings my Bro Gargoyle back to the field, one Level higher and with 100 more points in both Scores."

Bro Gargoyle appeared, glowing with fiery energy. (600 ATK)

"Now, I'll Tune my now-Level 4 Bro Gargoyle with my Level 3 Mine Golem…"

The two Rocks flew to the ceiling of the arena, quickly dissolving into stars…

"_From the depths of stinking Minauros, the mud and muck of the vile swamp spawns a creature like none other…"_

**(*4 + *3 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Infernal Quagmire Golem!"_

The Monster that appeared was huge, hulking, and disgusting. It looked like a big humanoid made entirely of mud, and the smell it gave off was something that even the most obnoxious frat house would be repulsed by. (2,200 ATK)

"Now, due to Bro Gargoyle's effect," said Tiberius, "I get to draw one card."

He made a draw.

"Attack his Scrap Beast!" he shouted. "Vile sludge stream!"

The Infernal Quagmire Golem vomited a stream of vile goo at Scrap Beast, melting it into a pile of sludge and scrap metal.

"Attacking my Monsters by puking on them…" said Dugan. "I figured this fight would be fair… But I guess _clean _is out of the question…"

**(D: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 8,000)**

"I have to admire your attitude, Dugan," chuckled Tiberius. "It takes something to not lose your sense of humor in a situation like this…

"I'm a Doomdreamer after all… I've spoken to the Dark God through my nightmares…

"Most folks would be a little put off by this, but you aren't losing your cool…"

"I was a Marine, Tiberius…" said Dugan. "Even when I was in the service, it would take more than some nutcase like you to make me 'lose my cool'.

"And as a Shadowchaser, I've brought down tougher jerks than you, and fought scarier Monsters than some walking pile of snot."

He drew a card.

"Come to think of it, I _have_ fought things that looked like walking piles of snot before… You have no idea what can happen when Shadowkind get involved with toxic waste disposal…

"That's why I'm the senior member of the Chicago branch… That's why I've trained three other members…

"And I assure you, I'll be around to train more! I play the Spell Card, Shrink!"

As he played the card, Infernal Quagmire Golem moaned, and shrank down to half its size. (1,100 ATK)

"Then, I summon Scrap Shark," he continued.

He played the card, and the huge scrap metal fish with propellers chugged onto the field. (2,100 ATK)

"Attack his Golem!" shouted Dugan. "Torpedoes away!"

Scrap Shark launched two torpedoes from its underside, and the Golem exploded into mud upon impact.

"Your Golem just went splat!" said Dugan.

"Maybe so…" said Tiberius. "However…"

The piles of mud stated to move… Then they slithered together, and grew into a big mass of mud, and shaped back into Infernal Quagmire Golem again. (2,200 ATK)

"When Infernal Quagmire Golem is destroyed by battle, it makes a quick recovery. And because an effect was just activated, your Shark goes boom."

Scrap Shark burst into pixels.

"However," said Dugan, "I get to take a Scrap Monster from my deck, and send it to the Graveyard."

He discarded a card.

"I'll set one card facedown, and end my turn."

A set card appeared in front of him.

**(D: 7,400) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 7,000)**

"My move!" said Tiberius.

He drew a card.

"I remove my Mine Golem from play to Special Summon Gigantes!" he exclaimed.

He pocketed the card, and the demonic-looking ogre holding a tree trunk appeared. (1,900 ATK)

"And now he attacks you directly!"

Dugan braced himself as the ogre rushed up, and clobbered him with the big hunk of wood.

_Ugh, I felt that! _he thought, holding his stomach. _This is definitely a Shadow Duel all right…_

He glared daggers at Tiberius.

"Is that all you've got?" he asked.

Tiberius turned to Infernal Quagmire Golem and pointed.

"Get him," he said.

The vile thing shot its stream of vomit at Dugan, but this time, Dugan was ready. His facedown card lifted up.

"Magic Cylinder?" screamed Tiberius.

He screamed as the vile sludge stream did a 180 in mid-air, soaking him with the poisoned mud. He fell over.

"You're going to pay for that, Dugan!" he shouted. "This suit is virgin wool!"

"Just send me your dry cleaner bill," said Dugan, with a scowl. "On second thought, just shut up."

Tiberius quickly got up.

"I'll set this Monster," he said, as a concealed Monster appeared next to his Golem, "and my turn is over."

**(D: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 4,800)**

"My move," said Dugan.

He drew a card.

"I play the Spell Card, Awakening from Beyond," he said. "You draw twice, but I get to recover a Monster from my Graveyard."

"Why thank you," said Tiberius.

He made two draws.

Dugan took Scrap Chimera from his Graveyard, which he had discarded with Scrap Shark's effect.

"Now, I'll summon it," he continued.

Scrap Chimera materialized on the field, and let out a howl. (1,700 ATK)

"…and use its effect to summon Scrap Beast from my Graveyard!"

Scrap Beast appeared next to its mythological counterpart. (1,600 ATK)

"If I'm so predictable," he continued, "you know what's coming next…"

The two Scraps flew towards the ceiling, and turned into a cluster of stars…

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"I Synchro Summon… Scrap Dragon!"

The huge, metal Dragon lowered itself onto the field. It growled as it glared at Tiberius and his Monsters. (2,800 ATK)

Dugan set a card on the field. Then it shattered, and Scrap Dragon blasted its toxic blaze, burning Infernal Quagmire Golem to a crisp.

"I activate Infernal Quagmire Golem's other effect!" shouted Tiberius.

"Other effect?" said Dugan, lifting an eyebrow.

"When it's destroyed by a card effect," said Tiberius, "all Monsters on the field lose 800 Attack Points."

Rust covered Scrap Dragon's armor as it fell to an Attack Score of 2,000, while Gigantes groaned as it fell to 1,100.

Dugan frowned.

"Scrap Dragon, obliterate Gigantes!" shouted Dugan.

The Dragon blasted its stream again, and the elemental spirit was blown to pieces.

"Ergh…" said Tiberius.

**(D: 5,500) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 3,900)**

"You know…" said the Doomdreamer, as he looked at Dugan nervously. "The old saying 'old soldiers never die' has more truth to it than some people think…"

"Just make your move," said Dugan.

"I will!" said Tiberius, drawing a card.

"I flip Mask of Darkness into Attack Mode…"

His facedown card flipped up, showing a cracked and yellowing old mask. (900 ATK)

His Powerful Rebirth card slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.

"Next, I play the Monster Gate Spell Card," he said, as he played a card. "I'll give up my Mask…"

The small Fiend vanished.

"…and then pick up cards from my deck until I reach a Monster that I can summon… Then I summon it."

He picked up two cards. Then he threw the third on his Disk, and a second Mine Golem appeared. (1,900 DEF)

He quickly discarded Stone Tell and Sakuretsu Armor.

"Then, I remove Gigantes from play to Special Summon The Rock Spirit."

The ground rumbled again, and the rocky elemental spirit dressed in Spartan armor burst through the floor. (1,700 ATK)

"Next, I summon the Tuner Monster, Sinister Sprocket!"

He played the card, and a black spool of chain with fiendish eyes on the front appeared. (400 ATK)

The Sinister Sprocket looped its chain around the two Rocks, and they all flew towards the ceiling…

"_From the maddening winds of the caverns of Pandemonium, elemental forces form a creature born from stone eroded by pure insanity!"_

**(*1 + * 3 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Infernal Flail Golem!"_

There was a gust of wind, and the flail-handed Golem that he had used against Nichole appeared in front of him. (2,400 ATK)

"Just how many of these things do you have?" asked Dugan.

"Just wait," said Tiberius. "I intend to save the best one for last…

"Attack his Scrap Dragon!"

Infernal Flail Golem lunged at the Scrap Synchro with its spiked mace arm, crushing it like tinfoil. The remains shattered.

"And because this Monster sends Monsters it destroys back to the owner's hand," continued Tiberius, "you can't use your Dragon's effect.

"I'll set these…"

Two facedown cards appeared behind his Golem.

"…and then you can make your move…"

**(D: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 3,900)**

_This is not good… _thought Dugan.

He drew a card.

_But this is better!_

"I play One for One!" he exclaimed, as he played a Spell Card. "I toss one card…"

He discarded Scrap Goblin.

"…and I get to Special Summon Scrap Mind Reader to the field."

The cute robot appeared, grinning at Tiberius. (0 ATK)

"Then, I sacrifice it…"

The robot vanished.

"For Scrap Golem!"

In a burst of energy, the bulky robot made of junk appeared where the small robot had been. (2,300 ATK)

"Next, I use its effect to bring Scrap Goblin to the field."

Scrap Golem's eyes glowed, and the small Beast-Warrior appeared next to it. (0 ATK)

"I think I'll activate this Trap Card now…" said Tiberius, as one of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Double Type Rescue. Because I control two Types of Monsters, and you control more Monsters than I do, I can Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard."

Dugan gave him a funny look.

"I know…" said Tiberius. "You think I only have one Type of Monster… Well, you're wrong. Infernal Flail Golem is both a Rock and a Fiend at the same time. Two threats in one!"

The Rock Spirit appeared next to the Golem, kneeling and holding its mace in its lap. (1,000 DEF)

"You won't distract me, pal," said Dugan. "I Tune my two Monsters together…"

The two Scraps flew towards the ceiling…

**(*3 + *5 = *8)**

"To Synchro Summon Scrap Dragon again!"

Scrap Dragon appeared in an explosion of flames, and this time, it was angry. (2,800 ATK)

He paused.

_That other Trap Card is obviously Powerful Rebirth, _he thought. _He must be planning on another Synchro Summon… _

_No cards in my hand left to use Scrap Dragon's effect… But that Golem has got to go…_

"Attack Infernal Flail Golem!" he shouted. "Toxic blaze!"

Scrap Dragon blasted its breath weapon, and the Golem was smashed into shards of rock.

"Ergh…" grunted Tiberius.

"I move to my second Main Phase," said Dugan, "and Special Summon Scrap Mind Reader from my Graveyard…"

The cute robot appeared once again. (0 DEF)

**(D: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 3,500)**

"My move!" exclaimed Tiberius, now sounding a little irked.

He drew a card.

"I activate Powerful Rebirth once again!" he said, as his other facedown card lifted up.

Once again, Bro Gargoyle appeared. (600 ATK)

"Now, I can Tune it and my Rock Spirit together to summon the mightiest of my Infernal Golems…"

The two Rock Monsters flew towards the ceiling, and dissolved into eight glowing stars…

**(*4 + * 4 = *8)**

"I Synchro Summon… Infernal Necro Golem!"

With a rumble, a hulking creature that was half-again as big as the other Infernal Golems rose out of the ground. It seemed to be made completely out of black stone, and its eyes were glowing green orbs. (1,000 ATK)

"Eh?" said Dugan.

"I know what you're thinking," said Tiberius. "It only has 1,000 Attack Points. Well, to that Score, we add the Score of the strongest Rock-Type Synchro Monster in my Graveyard. Since that means my Infernal Flail Golem right now…"

(3,400 ATK)

"Now, let's see…" he continued. "I could smash your Dragon… But I have a better idea…"

He played a card.

"First, the Continuous Spell Card, Shield of Stars. You get to draw once, but for the next three turns, my Monsters are completely immune to the effects of Synchro Monsters."

Dugan made a draw. He looked at it nervously.

"And now that my Monster is safe from your Dragon's effect…"

He played another card.

"I Equip my Golem with Fairy Meteor Crush!"

Dugan's eyes opened wide. He realized that his Scrap Mind Reader was in Defense Mode… And had zero Defense Points…

Tiberius realized it too…

"Attack his Scrap Mind Reader!" shouted Tiberius. "Necro flash blast!"

The Infernal Necro Golem's eyes glowed, and then let out what could best be described as a flash of negative energy. The whole room went dark, eradicating Scrap Mind Reader and throwing Dugan backwards with a blow that felt like a sledgehammer to his chest.

**(D: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 3,500)**

Dugan groaned as he sat up. He held the right side of his chest, not sure whether or not his ribs were still intact…

"Still have some fight in you?" asked Tiberius. "Good… I don't want this to be over too quickly… I end my turn…"

Dugan made a draw.

_I could use Scrap Dragon's effect to destroy the Shield of Stars… _he thought. _But it can only use its effect once per round…_

He set a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Your move…" he said.

"Clever…" said Tiberius, making a draw. "You realized that moving it to Defense Mode would only be worse…

"Infernal Necro Golem, attack! Destroy it!"

The flash of darkness covered the room again… Scrap Dragon exploded.

"Eh?" said Tiberius. "Your Life Points are untouched?"

Dugan pointed to the Trap Card he activated, Defense Draw.

"Not only do I take no damage," he replied, "I get to make one draw…"

He drew a card.

"…and I use Scrap Dragon's effect to Special Summon Scrap Goblin."

The Goblin appeared, shielding itself with its fork and awl. (500 DEF)

"I end my turn!" said Tiberius with a sulk.

Dugan quickly made a draw.

He looked at it. Pot of Avarice.

He quickly played it, and took Scrap Dragon, Scrap Shark, Scrap Beast, Scrap Chimera, and Scrap Golem from his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck, and made two draws.

He looked at Tiberius with a slight smirk.

"I play… D.D.R. – Different Dimension Reincarnation," he said. "I toss one card…"

He discarded Scrap Hunter.

"…and Scrap Mind Reader comes back."

A glowing portal opened, and the robot flew out of it. (0 ATK)

"Next, I Special Summon Scrap Breaker!"

He played the card, and a bulky Machine shaped like an inverted pear with a face on the front with two powerful arms appeared next to the other two Scraps. (2,100 ATK)

"Because I did that, I have to destroy one of my Scraps…"

Scrap Goblin shattered.

"Due to Scrap Goblin's effect, I get to recover Scrap Hunter…"

The card slipped out of his discard slot.

"…and then I'll summon it!"

He played the card, and Scrap Hunter appeared next to Scrap Breaker. (1,600 ATK)

"Now, I'll Tune together Scrap Mind Reader, Scrap Hunter, and Scrap Breaker!"

Scrap Mind Reader lead the way as all three Scraps flew towards the ceiling, slowly fading into light…

"_Recycled and rebuilt countless times, the Scraps finally form the epitome of Scrap power in the mightiest of their kind…"_

**(*1 + *3 + *6 = *10)**

"_Synchro Summon… Atomic Scrap Dragon!"_

With a roar that shook the whole room, the three-headed version of Scrap Dragon appeared in all its glory. (3,200 ATK)

"I don't care if it has three heads!" shouted Tiberius. "So long as my Shield of Stars is on the field, it can't hurt my Infernal Necro Golem!"

"Is that a fact?" asked Dugan.

He fit his last card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Your Shield of Stars can't protect the Monsters in your Graveyard, Tiberius," he continued, "and by destroying one of my cards, Atomic Scrap Dragon can send two Monsters in your Graveyard back to your deck."

"WHAT?" shouted Tiberius.

The Spell Card Dugan had just set shattered.

"Getting the picture?" asked Dugan. "I'm sending Infernal Flail Golem and Infernal Quagmire Golem back to your deck. Without any Rock-Type Synchros in your Graveyard…"

"My Monster falls to its base Attack Score…" gasped Tiberius.

He looked at his Infernal Necro Golem as it groaned. (1,000 ATK)

"Atomic Scrap Dragon…" ordered Dugan, "flatten his Golem with Genocide Stream!" 

The huge Scrap let out three blasts of destructive energy, and the Doomdreamer was thrown backwards as his Monster was blown to dust.

**(D: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 1,300)**

"Ow… Ow… Ugh…" moaned Tiberius.

He slowly got up.

"So, what do you have to say now?" asked Dugan.

Tiberius coughed, coughing up phlegm. Then he cleared his throat.

"You certainly are tough as nails…" he said. "But I'm not about to give up…"

He drew a card.

He looked at his hand. It consisted of Guidance to Ore, Giant Soldier of Stone, Reload, Granmarg the Rock Monarch, and Minefield Eruption.

He quickly grabbed the Reload card, and played it. He fit the other four cards into his deck, which was shuffled, and made four new draws.

Then he looked at Dugan hard.

"You're certainly a worthy foe, Dugan…" he said. "Almost sorry I have to do this…"

He played a Spell Card.

"Almost, that is… I play Dark Fusion!"

"Dark Fusion?" asked Dugan. "What does…"

Then he remembered something… Something that he had read about…

"No…" he said. "It can't be…"

Tiberius took two cards in his hand.

"I'll fuse together Gorz the Emissary of Darkness," he said, "with Gaia Plate the Earth Giant!"

A tremor with the strength of an earthquake struck the arena, and a fifteen-foot tall creature burst out of the ground to the smell of brimstone. It was a demon that looked like it was made of lava, covered by an exoskeleton of hard rock, with fiendish wings and a barbed tail. (5,500 ATK)

Dugan stepped back in fear. Sweat poured down his brow.

Tiberius grinned evilly.

"Well…" he said. "Judging by the look on your face, it seems I've finally managed to make the great Major Jacob Dugan loose his nerve…"

"That's impossible!" screamed Dugan, looking at the huge Fiend. "The Evil Heroes should have been lost forever after Yukai Judai recovered from his… identity crisis!"

Tiberius chuckled a little.

"To be perfectly honest," he said, "I thought so too… I have no idea where this card and the Dark Fusion card came from… Both were given to me by the Triad."

"The Triad?" asked Dugan.

"The leaders of this order," said Tiberius. "And when they give you something, you bloody-well don't question where it came from!

"So then… Evil Hero Dark Gaia…"

The giant demon's eyes glowed…

"…destroy his Atomic Scrap Dragon! Dark Catastrophe!"

The Evil Hero lifted its right hand, and a huge, glowing ball of fiery energy started to form in it. Dugan wanted to run, but for perhaps the first time in his life, he was rooted to the spot in fear…

Dark Gaia threw the projectile, hurling it like a meteor crashing to Earth. Dugan was thrown backwards against the wall as Atomic Scrap Dragon was eradicated…

**(D: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 1,300)**

Dugan's head was spinning. Every muscle in his body was sore. He slowly looked up.

"Amazing," said Tiberius's voice. "After all that, you're still conscious…"

Dugan saw that they were back in the dungeon that Tiberius had took them from. Dugan's blunderbuss was just five feet in front of him on the floor.

He weakly reached for it…

Tiberius pushed one of the buttons on the fuse box device on the wall. Dugan was pulled to his feet, and yanked over the raised pedestal in the center of the room. He noticed that an aura of red energy was surrounding him. He struggled, but apparently, this energy field was holding him there.

Tiberius walked over to the sawed-off stalagmite, and placed an hourglass on it. He tipped it over, and the sand started to trickle down.

"Two hours Dugan," he said. "That's how long it takes for the sand to run down, after which the creature I was talking about will show up. The Brotherhood, remember? I'd love to stay and watch, but as you said, the beast will kill _anyone _present when it appears.

"And perhaps by offering you, I might be able to control it next time. You never know.

"Look on the bright side… At least you'll be playing an important role in something bigger than anything that any CO you worked for, or even that half-dragon employer of yours, could ever imagine."

"Of course…" muttered Dugan through his pain. "You actually believe that Tharizdun plans to remake the world as a paradise for the faithful once he's done destroying it. You're not only insane, you're just plain dumb."

To respond, Tiberius simply shrugged. He walked out of the room, leaving Dugan alone as the sand slowly trickled down…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DOUBLE TYPE RESCUE**** (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **An ambulance and a jet plane rushing in the same direction.

**Card Description: **Activate when you control 2 Types of face-up Monsters and your opponent controls more Monsters than you do. Special Summon 1 Monster from your Graveyard.

_Note: "Double Type Rescue" was first used by Bruno in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Primo's Plan (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INFERNAL QUAGMIRE GOLEM**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Rock-Type Monsters_

This card is also considered a Fiend-Type Monster. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon it at the end of the Battle Phase. When this card is destroyed by a card effect, reduce the ATK of all face-up Monsters on the field by 800.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**INFERNAL NECRO GOLEM**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 1,000  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **_Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Rock-Type Monsters_

This card is also considered a Fiend-Type Monster. This card gains Attack Points equal to the ATK of the Rock-Type Synchro Monster in your Graveyard with the highest ATK.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHIELD OF STARS**** (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Dark Magician Girl deflecting a blast from Dark End Dragon with a shield of energy, causing sparks of colored stars to fly from the point of impact.

**Card Description: **Upon activation, your opponent draws 1 card. Face-up Monsters you control are not affected by the effects of your opponent's Synchro Monsters. On your opponent's 3rd End Phase after this card is activated, destroy this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**What will become of Dugan? The question goes unanswered… For now.**_

_**Next:**_

_**Karl: I've found Shelly, the member of this cult that I dueled in Chinatown… She seems more lucid now, and strangely happy, despite the fact that she seems to be a prisoner in this strange room. Maybe this weird orb that my host calls the Orb of Dreams has something to do with it.**_

_**Which brings me to the immediate problem. My host is none other than Lareth the Beautiful, someone whom the Shadowchasers had assumed was dead. He's definitely NOT happy, but then, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who's happy most of the time. **_

_**I want to think I can take him, but I think he's hiding something… Something about his deck seems unorthodox…**_

"_**The Danger Within; The Mysterious Monster" is coming soon. **_


	47. The Mysterious Monster

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Danger Within**

**The Mysterious Monster**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

At the same time as Dugan was about to enter the Brotherhood's room for the first time, Karl was not having much better luck navigating the maze-like rooms of the tower. Sal had no access to any local internet providers, and had to rely on her own hard drive. She was able to use her ability to detect auras to keep Karl away from spots that seemed especially dangerous, but such abilities were of no use in finding where he was supposed to go.

Eventually, Karl had found his way to a trophy room full of taxidermy specimens, and his flesh crawled upon looking at some of them. There were the usual pieces: a moose head on the wall, a stuffed grizzly bear…

One thing that got his attention was a stuffed and mounted chimera in the center. It was definitely a chimera – a large beast with three heads, a lion's, a goat's, and a small dragon's.

When comparing J.K. Rowling's supernatural creatures to real ones, it was a safe bet that she was usually wrong more often than she was right, but she hadn't been far off when the Ministry of Magic in her books had classified these monsters with an XXXXX (the highest danger rating). Few and far between was the warrior who could slay a chimera (taming a flying mount for the task was no easy feat), and even rarer (Karl assumed) was one who could do so and leave the body intact enough to stuff and mount.

But what really scared him were three trophies near the back: a gorgon dressed in a French maid's dress… A sahuagin dressed in a fisherman's slicker… And an ogrillon dressed in a very sharp tuxedo. They were stuffed too.

"Sal…" he said ominously. "It's illegal for a taxidermist to stuff sentient beings, right?"

"_Yes…" _said Sal. _"And I would wager that those three did not want their remains displayed like that. They might have been enemies of the cult…_

"_Or maybe former members who made one of the leaders mad."_

Karl shivered. There didn't seem to be another exit from the room, so he hurried out the way he had come.

And then he stared in disbelief. This was not the room he had been in previously. He was in an empty, square-shaped room, with a door on each wall.

"This place is playing games with us…" he muttered.

He slowly turned around. As he half-expected, the wooden door that had led to the trophy room had been switched with a very different door.

It was a metal door, locked with a computerized digital lock. A sign on the door read:

**ORB CHAMBER**

**Entrance Forbidden**

**Except by Authorized Personnel**

"Hmm," said Karl. "I have a sneaking suspicion that going through here won't lead us back to that trophy room…"

"_Before you ask, Karl," _said Sal, _"I'm not registering any unusual Evil auras at all beyond that door. _

"_In fact, there seems to be a strange aura that I can't identify… If I had to describe it, I'd say that it was calmness."_

"Magical calmness?" said Karl. "That's a new one… Can you decode the combination?"

Sal beeped for a few seconds.

"_Input 4-7-9-1-3," _she said.

Karl punched in the combination, and the door swung open.

He entered an odd room, clearly not the trophy room. Sal was right. He immediately felt a sense of calmness and comfort here that was absent in the rest of the creepy temple. The aura seemed to be coming from a large, golden globe that hovered above a magic circle drawn in the center of the room.

Behind the globe was a couch, while surrounding it are six golden spheres, each one about five feet in diameter.

Then he realized what the spheres surrounding it were. They seemed to be cells. There was a barred window on the front of each, and they each held a prisoner.

He went up to one of them to investigate. A young man was inside, curled up on the cushioned interior, fast asleep.

"Hey…" said Karl, knocking on the front. "Can you hear me?"

"No, he can't," said a lazy voice. "He just came in yesterday. When you first get here, not much can wake you up."

Karl turned to another cell and saw that the occupant, the one who had spoken, was none other than Shelly, the young woman he had dueled in Chinatown.

"Hey, Karl," she said. "Never thought I'd see you here…"

"Shelly?" said Karl, in disbelief. "What… What is this? Some sort of jail?"

"Nah…" said Shelly, as she reclined. "This is the Orb Chamber… Remember how crazy I was acting when we met in Chinatown?"

"They threw you in prison up for that?" asked Karl.

"Nah…" replied Shelly. "This place is for therapy… When someone here gets too… out of it, they send him here... You sit back, relax, and the orb up there soothes your mind with the most wonderful dreams…"

"You seem pretty content for someone who's locked in a cell," said Karl.

"Hey, this can be better than a spa sometimes," said Shelly, "especially when you're actually asleep…"

Karl looked at her. He really didn't know what to make of this.

"Well…" he said. "You do seem more lucid… What's the couch for?"

"Huh?" said Shelly. "Oh, they added that recently. For some guy who comes in for only an hour a day. In fact, he'll be here any minute."

"Actually, I'm already here," said a much less friendly voice.

Karl spun around, as Lareth entered the room. Karl cautiously backed up.

"_I'm sorry Karl," _said Sal,_ "I didn't detect him at all."_

"Does the word 'forbidden' not mean the same thing these days that it did twenty years ago?" asked Lareth.

"Who are you?" asked Karl.

"Please, Mr. Hudson," said Lareth. "This temple is dedicated to the Dark God, I'm wearing a mask, and I just implied that I've been away for twenty years. Certainly, someone as smart as you're supposed to be can put those clues together… Especially since one of your partners is a devotee of that wretched upstart of a deity who caused me so much misery."

Karl's jaw almost hit the floor.

"No… way…" he gasped. "You can't be alive! Everyone just assumed that… That Lareth the Beautiful would have starved to death!"

Then Lareth slapped Karl hard in the face.

"Ow!" moaned Karl.

"I don't seem to be a ghost, now do I?" asked Lareth.

Then the orb in the center of the room hummed, and turned slightly dim. The prisoners who were asleep started moaning.

"Damn…" said Lareth. "Have to watch what I do in here…"

"What?" asked Karl.

"That golden sphere in the center of the room…" said Lareth. "It's a powerful artifact created by the rilmani called the Orb of Dreams." 

"The rilmani?" asked Karl. "The Guardians of Balance?"

Lareth nodded.

"The Orb of Dreams is a fickle magical item," continued Lareth, "right now, it can be used for either good or evil… It can cause wonderful dreams or horrible nightmares.

"But one must be very careful… Committing an incredibly evil act in its presence will cause it to shift completely to Evil, while a truly benign act will cause it to shift completely towards Good.

"So why haven't you made it shift yet?" asked Karl, looking at Lareth suspiciously.

"Because its good magic," replied the Doomdreamer, "the ability to nurture an insane mind, is still of great use to us. It's useful for dealing with members of this organization who become _too _crazy.

"So… To avoid anything happening to it, we're going to have to take this outside…"

He snapped his fingers, and like Tiberius had done, the Orb Chamber melted away. Before Karl knew it, he and Lareth were in another arena, much like the one where, at this very minute, Dugan's duel with Tiberius was about to start.

Lareth's Duel Disk appeared on his arm.

"I'll give you a sporting chance, Mr. Hudson," said Lareth. "Defeat me, and you may live to see another morning."

"Why give me the chance?" asked Karl.

"To be honest," said Lareth, "I want to try something…"

"Try something?" asked Karl.

Lareth lifted his Disk.

"I've heard so much about you Shadowchasers…" he continued. "How you use the game of Duel Monsters in your work… Clearly, you must be experts…

"I have a card that has, up to now, made my deck lethal when I used it… But the thing is, I've never used it against serious competition… No-one has faced it except hired grunts using test decks… And that cambion partner of Tiberius whom he put in charge of bringing me up to date. Even she has yet to use a serious deck against it.

"I want to use it for real… Against someone who offers a duel that can last longer than four turns!"

"Gee, how can I say no?" said Karl.

To be honest, he had half a mind to say no, and _more _than half a mind to turn tail and run the other way. He had heard a lot about Lareth the Beautiful, none of it pleasant. But a quick check of the room he was in confirmed that he was trapped.

"Sal…" he whispered. "Any idea what this mystery card of his is?"

"_I can't look inside his deck, Karl," _said Sal. _"But there is an unpleasant aura coming from his Disk… I don't know what this special card is, but I doubt we'll like it."_

Karl activated his Duel Disk.

"Duel!" they shouted.

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 8,000)**

"Here goes," said Karl, making his first draw.

He slowly took a card from his hand.

"I'll summon Geisha of the Ice Barrier…"

There was a shower of lotus petals, and Geisha appeared, unfolding her fans. (1,500 ATK)

"Then I'll set a card facedown…"

He fit a card into his Disk, and a set card appeared.

"Your move…"

_If he attacks with some ravenous beast, _he thought, _at least I have Realize Defense set… I won't take any damage…_

Lareth drew a card. He looked carefully at it.

All worshippers of Tharizdun were crazy to a certain degree. But most duelists would think that he was _beyond _crazy to include this incredibly antiquated Trap Card in his deck.

Still, it did have its uses…

_This will be good for later, _he thought, as he put it with the others.

"I summon Sealed Beast Boa Booran," he said.

He played the card, and one of the Sealed Beasts he used in his duel against Minerva appeared. It was the one with a skull-like face, sharp teeth, and a spiked collar around its neck. (1,700 ATK)

"_Karl," _said Sal. _"I've heard of Sealed Beasts before… Dark Reptiles that were designed to represent the servants of some powerful entity from back in the days of the original Shadow Duels. Very dangerous if used right…_

"_But they can't use their effects without the Sealed Mantra Continuous Spell Card."_

"I also set a card facedown," said Lareth, as a set card appeared behind Boa Booran.

"And I end my turn."

To say that Karl was surprised was an understatement. He never took Lareth the Beautiful as one who'd be spooked by one facedown card…

He made a draw.

"I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

With a war cry, the frigid Samurai leapt onto the field. (1,800 ATK)

"Attack!" he shouted. "Destroy Sealed Beast Boa Booran!"

The Samurai drew his katana, and rushed at the Reptile…

"I activate… Mantra of Pain!" shouted Lareth, as his facedown card lifted up.

Samurai of the Ice Barrier exploded into shards.

"Always look before you leap, Mr. Hudson," said Lareth. "Such reckless moves cost many of those hired grunts their lives."

_He killed them? _thought Karl.

"Mantra of Pain not only destroys a Monster that attacks a Sealed Beast," continued Lareth, "but it allows me to take a specific Spell Card from my deck."

He took the card from his deck, which naturally, was Sealed Mantra, and looked at it.

"I move Geisha to Defense Mode…" said Karl, as Geisha knelt and crossed her arms. (1,700 DEF)

"…and I end my turn…"

"I draw!" said Lareth, drawing a card.

"And so I don't end up in the same situation as you just did, I play the Giant Trunade Spell Card!"

He played the card, and a wind blew across the field, blowing Realize Defense back to Karl's hand.

_Sucker, _thought Karl with a grin. _You wasted that Spell when my Monster already was in Defense Mode!_

"Now, to unlock the power of my Sealed Beasts," continued Lareth, "I play the Continuous Spell Card, Sealed Mantra!"

An unholy glow surrounded Boa Booran as the Spell Card appeared.

"Next, I set a new card," he said, as a set card appeared in his Spell Zone, "and attack with Boa Booran!"

"Huh?" said Karl.

Boa Booran exhaled a blast of violet flames. Geisha cried out in pain, and shattered into pixels.

"HOW?" shouted Karl. "Her Defense Score was equal to that thing's Attack Score!"

"It doesn't matter," said Lareth. "Any Monster that Boa Booran destroys while Sealed Mantra is in play is destroyed, so long as the attack reaches the target.

"It is your move…"

_Man, I gotta put up a better defense, or I'm gonna be toast! _thought Karl.

He made a draw.

He almost shouted for joy when he saw what card it was, but he caught himself. He cleared his throat.

"I set a facedown," he said, fitting it into his Disk, "and then I summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier!"

Geomancer appeared, striking a pose. (800 ATK)

"Now, by discarding this card and naming Dark," he said, as he discarded Realize Defense, "your Sealed Beasts can't come near her!"

"Then I guess I'll just have to be more creative," said Lareth. "It's my move…"

He made a draw.

"I activate… Dust Tornado!" shouted Karl.

His facedown card lifted up.

"I'm taking out your Sealed Beasts by taking out their power source! Destroy Sealed Mantra!"

The Tornado tore across the field, towards the Spell Card.

Lareth lifted his hand, and his facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Barrier of the Ancient Writings!" he exclaimed.

The Tornado slowed, and then dissipated.

"This Continuous Trap prevents Sealed Mantra from being destroyed."

Karl sighed.

"Well, that plan was a bust…" he said.

"And I'm afraid your Geomancer will be too," said Lareth, "for now I sacrifice Boa Booran…"

The Sealed Beast turned into an aura of darkness.

"…for Sealed Beast Momaw Saibon!"

A larger Sealed Beast appeared on the field. Like most other Sealed Beasts, it was an armless Reptile that walked upright, but with a long neck and a snake-like head, with a ruby on its forehead. (2,000 ATK)

"This Sealed Beast has the ability to destroy one face-up Monster per turn," continued Lareth.

Momaw Saibon hissed, and a hood like a cobra's formed around its neck. It spit a stream of venom, and Geomancer screamed as she was drenched in it. Then she simply melted into a puddle of ichor.

"Now let's see what it can do to you," said Lareth. "Attack him directly!"

The Sealed Beast hissed again, and this time it hit Karl with its deadly poison. Karl cried out in pain… It burned…

He fell to his knees.

_I should have guessed… _he thought. _Another Shadow Duel…_

_And I have a feeling this will be even worse than the one with Panik…_

**(K: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 8,000)**

"It's your move, Mr. Hudson…" said Lareth.

Karl got up, breathing hard. He drew a card. He looked at the Monster.

_Hmm… _he thought. _She can turn the duel around in a heartbeat… But I can't summon her unless Lareth uses another card…_

He picked another Monster from his hand, and set it on his Disk.

"I end my turn," he said.

"Clever," said Lareth. "You remembered that Momaw Saibon can only use its effect on face-up Monsters…"

He drew a card.

"Well then… I summon Sealed Beast Tssng."

He played the card, and the lizard-like Sealed Beast crawled onto the field. (1,000 ATK)

"Momaw Saibon, attack with venomous death stream!" he commanded.

The Sealed Beast spit its lethal toxin, and Numbing Grub in the Ice Barrier briefly appeared before melting into sludge.

"Now, my Tssng has something for you…"

Tssng's eyes glowed, and two bolts of energy shot at Karl, striking him in the chest.

"Ugh…" said Karl.

"I set one card facedown," said Lareth, as a concealed card appeared in his Spell Zone. "Once again, my turn is over…"

**(K: 5,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 8,000)**

"Then it's time to stomp some snake!" shouted Karl, as he drew a card.

"Because you have five more cards on the field than I do, I can Special Summon Medium of the Ice Barrier!"

A chilling cold permeated the air of the arena, and the blue-robed female Spellcaster with flowing green hair appeared in front of Karl. (2,200 ATK)

"Next, I'll summon Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier."

He played the card, and the holy monk dressed in furs appeared, making a fighting stance. (1,500 ATK)

"Medium, attack Sealed Beast Momaw Saibon!" he ordered. "Divine Wind!"

Medium raised her arms, and a chilling storm started to whip her hair around. Her eyes glowed as it got more and more intense. The snake-like Sealed Beast roared as ice formed around it, and then both it and the ice shattered into black shards.

"I activate… Snake Whistle!" exclaimed Lareth, as his facedown card lifted up. "Because my Reptile Type Monster was destroyed, I can now Special Summon another one from my deck… So long as it's Level 4 or lower.

"I choose Sealed Beast Nyp Gonon… Attack Mode!"

There was a shadowy aura, and another Sealed Beast appeared, this one with bat-like wings, no arms (again), and a long tail with a bludgeon on the end. (900 ATK)

Karl looked at it cautiously…

"Pilgrim, your turn!" he shouted. "Attack Sealed Beast Tssng with Shattering Strike!"

Pilgrim rushed up, and hit Sealed Beast Tssng with a might karate chop. The Reptile shattered.

"I use Sealed Beast Tssng's effect to draw two cards," said Lareth.

He made two draws.

**(K: 5,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,300)**

Karl sighed.

"I end my turn…" he said. "Just to let you know… With Medium on the field, you can only play one Spell or Trap per turn."

"Well, she won't be around much longer anyway," said Lareth, as he made a draw.

"You were certainly wise not to attack Nyp Gonon… As you likely expected, despite its low Attack Score, it has a powerful effect. When it battles a Monster, it gains 200 Attack Points times the Level of its opponent…"

Karl quickly did the math in his head… Medium was Level 7, so it didn't look good for her…

"Attack!" shouted Lareth. "Shadow lightning!"

Nyp Gonon shrieked, and its Attack Score shot up to 2,300. It shot a bolt of dark lightning from its jaws, and Medium screamed as she was electrocuted. Then she shattered into pixels.

"Your Pilgrim is next," said Lareth, as the Sealed Beast's Attack Score fell down to 900 again. "I'll end my turn with this…"

He set a card, and a facedown card appeared.

"Make your move…"

**(K: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,300)**

Karl drew a card.

"Not if I can help it, Mr. Walking Contradiction," said Karl. "I sacrifice him…"

Pilgrim vanished into a freezing sphere of energy.

"…for Royal Knight of the Ice Barrier!"

The knight in medieval armor that seemed to be sculpted completely out of ice appeared on Karl's side of the field, holding his lance high. (2,000 ATK)

"And due to his effect, an Ice Coffin Token is summoned to your side of the field."

The small, icy gem surrounded by a golden crown appeared in front of Lareth. (1,000 ATK)

"But the best part is, Nyp Gonon will only gain 1,000 Attack Points when my Knight attacks it. That means my Knight can still defeat it."

Royal Knight pointed his lance.

"And he's gonna do that, right now!"

Royal Knight charged. Nyp Gonon's Attack Score rose to 1,900, but the Knight still skewered it. It shattered into pixels.

Lareth simply glared at Karl.

"That's all for now…" said Karl.

**(K: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,200)**

Lareth made a draw.

"I summon Sealed Beast Qua Galath," he said.

The Monster that appeared was different than most Sealed Beasts. It walked on four legs, and instead of being spindly, it was bulky and armored. It looked kind of like a cross between a big lizard and a small, armored dinosaur. (1,400 ATK)

"I know you're likely wondering why I put a weaker Monster in Attack Mode," said Lareth. "Well, as long as Qua Galath remains in Attack Mode, it can't be destroyed by battle.

"Now that you know, I'll move this Token to Defense Mode."

The Ice Coffin Token barely moved, but it changed color to signify Defense. (0 DEF)

"…and I end my turn…"

Karl made a draw.

I summon Strategist of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

In a gust of arctic air, the wizened old man wearing robes, a coolie hat, and holding a fan appeared next to the Royal Knight. (1,600 ATK)

"First, he'll attack the Ice Coffin Token."

The Strategist opened his fan, and spun it around, sending an icy blast at the Token. It shattered into pieces.

"And now my Knight will attack Sealed Beast Qua Galath!"

Royal Knight rushed at the armored Sealed Beast, and jammed his lance into its hide.

"It may not be destroyed, but you still take damage," he continued. "I end my turn…"

**(K: 4,900) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,600)**

Lareth snapped the top card off his deck.

"Come on…" he muttered. "Where the Hell is it…"

"Where's what?" asked Karl.

"_He's stalling until he draws what he needs to summon that special card he mentioned," _said Sal.

Karl froze. He had almost forgotten about that…

"Stall?" asked Lareth. "Well… Maybe I will go on the offensive…"

He played a Spell Card.

"I play Seal of Sale… You draw twice…"

Karl looked at him strange. He made two draws.

"In exchange for that," continued Lareth, "all Sealed Beasts can be summoned with one less sacrifice than usual for the next three turns.

"Therefore, it only takes one sacrifice to summon this creature…"

Sealed Beast Qua Galath turned into a crackling orb of dark energy.

"Arise, Sealed Beast Buron!"

With an explosion of pitch-black flames, the huge Sealed Beast with a mouth that was all teeth loomed over Karl and his two Monsters. (2,700 ATK)

"Don't try to defend yourself with Spells or Traps," said Lareth. "So long as Sealed Mantra is in play, this Beast is impervious to all card effects.

"But if you think it only had defensive properties…

"Attack his Strategist! Smash him flat!"

Buron charged forward, making the ground tremble. With a mighty stomp, it crushed the Spellcaster under its foot, throwing Karl to the floor with the shockwave it caused.

**(K: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,600)**

"It's your move, Mr. Hudson…" said Lareth. "But you might as well surrender…"

"How come?" asked Karl, holding his head.

"My Monster can't be affected by card effects, remember?" replied Lareth. "It has 2,700 Attack Points, and you can't destroy my Sealed Mantra.

"I watched your duel with Panik, and I skimmed over the information on the Ice Barrier cards. There's only one Ice Barrier Monster that can defeat Buron in a purely physical confrontation, and it will only manage a draw.

"Assuming you manage to assemble the three Monsters required to summon it."

Karl got up.

_That may be true… _he thought. _Summoning Trishula is going to be hard with that behemoth on the field…_

He looked at the two cards he had drawn with Seal of Sale. Then he made a draw.

_But if I can hold on for a few rounds longer, I might be able to truly throw a wrench in his setup…_

"I set one Monster, and then move Royal Knight to Defense Mode," he said.

A hidden Monster appeared, and Royal Knight knelt and held his lance down. (2,000 DEF)

"That's all," he said.

Lareth made a draw.

"I summon Sealed Beast Watsumu," he said.

Unlike most Sealed Beasts, that had legs but no arms, this one seemed to have forearms but no rear legs. It had a blocky head with a long, forked tongue, a small torso, and a very long tail that resembled a scorpion's. (800 ATK)

"Buron…" said Lareth. "Crush his Knight into tinfoil!"

Buron charged forward, and stomped its foot down, flattening Royal Knight and sending another shockwave through the arena. However, Karl stood his ground this time.

"Watsumu, take the other Monster," said the Doomdreamer, pointing.

The odd snake-arachnid hybrid scurried towards the set Monster. A man who looked like a priest, with a short beard, dressed in a blue robe and hood, holding a long staff, appeared on the card. Watsumu's tail struck him, and he shattered.

"It's your move…" said Lareth.

Karl made a draw.

_Hope this works… _he thought.

"I play Pot of Avarice!" he shouted, as he played the card.

He quickly took Strategist, Geomancer, Royal Knight, Pilgrim, and Medium from his discard pile, and shuffled them into his deck. He made two draws.

He quickly set three cards, and a facedown Monster appeared, followed by two set cards in his Spell Zone.

He nodded.

"Two free draws and that was the best you could do?" asked Lareth. "Pathetic… And to think I thought you would be a challenge…"

He drew a card.

"I summon Sealed Beast Khaotek," he said.

In yet another aura of shadow, one of the other Sealed Beasts he had used against Minerva, the hunched over one with no eyes, a lamprey-like mouth, and small arms, appeared. (1,700 ATK)

"Attack his Monster!" he commanded. "Sonic Scream!"

Sealed Beast Khaotek shot an earsplitting wave of sound at the set Monster...

But when the dust cleared, Reese the Ice Mistress was crouched on the card in Defense Mode, grinning at Lareth with an "I dare you" look. (800 DEF)

"Your Buron may be impervious to Monster effects," said Karl, "but it doesn't neutralize _my _Monsters' effects. And Reese can't be destroyed in battle by Level 4 or higher Monsters."

Under his mask, Lareth scowled.

_Watsumu is only Level 3, _thought the Doomdreamer. _But… It simply isn't strong enough! Damn!_

"I end my turn!" he cursed. "You've bought yourself a few rounds…"

"I dunno, Lareth…" said Karl. "I might surprise you…"

He drew a card.

"I summon Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

With a graceful step, Dance Princess pirouetted onto the field. (1,700 ATK)

"Next," he said, as one of his facedown cards lifted up, "I activate Limit Reverse. Return!"

The robed and hooded priest appeared again. It was clear now that the Ice Barrier insignia was at the tip of his staff. (1,000 ATK)

"Now, I can use the effect of Preacher of the Ice Barrier," continued Karl. "By sacrificing him, I can Special Summon an Ice Barrier Monster from my Graveyard.

"Preacher, bye-bye…"

The priest vanished.

"…and welcome back, Geisha!"

Geisha appeared again, striking a pose. (1,500 ATK)

She turned to Dance Princess, and they both nodded.

"First, I'll use Geisha's effect," said Karl. "For each Ice Barrier Monster in my hand that I reveal, I can revert one face-up Spell or Trap to set position.

"So, I'll reveal these two…"

He flipped Wendigo of the Ice Barrier and General Grunard of the Ice Barrier around.

"And I'll set your Sealed Mantra and Barrier of the Ancient Writings!"

Lareth stepped back in shock as the Continuous Spell and the Continuous Trap slammed down flat.

"With them set on the field, your Sealed Beasts lose their effects, meaning Buron is vulnerable until you can activate them again.

"But why stop? I'll use Dance Princess's effect, and reveal the same two cards…"

He flipped Wendigo and Grunard forward again.

"…to blow them off the field!"

Dance Princess spun another pirouette, and a blast of wind blew the two set cards off the field. They reappeared in Lareth's hand.

"I'm just getting started!" said Karl, as his other facedown card lifted up. "I activate Level Retuner. This Trap lets me lower a Monster's Level by up to two. So I'll lower Dance Princess from Level 4 to 3.

"Then, I Tune together Reese, Dance Princess, and Geisha…"

The three female Monsters soared towards the ceiling of the arena, slowly fading into clusters of stars…

Beneath his mask, Lareth's eyes opened wide.

_Such power! _he thought. _There was even more to this kid that I thought…_

Karl chanted.

"_The chilling power of the frozen North will reverberate through these creatures, and bring forth the true ruler of the Ice Barrier!_

"_The Pulse of the arctic lands awakens…"_

**(*2 + *3 + *4 = *9)**

"_Synchro Summon… Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

Trishula appeared on the field with a mighty roar that shook the whole room. Even Lareth looked surprised, and his three Monsters were clearly frightened. (2,700 ATK)

"Now I use Trishula's effect," continued Karl. "I can remove a total of three cards from play. One from the field…"

Sealed Beast Buran vanished into nothing.

"…one from your Graveyard…"

Sealed Beast Momaw Saibon fell out of Lareth's discard slot.

"…and one from your hand at random!"

Lareth stared in disbelief as the Sealed Mantra that Karl had blown back to his hand vanished.

"And wait until you see Trishula's actual attack!" continued Karl. "Attack his Sealed Beast Watsumu! Freezing Pulse of the Ice Barrier!"

Trishula's six eyes glowed, and then three beams of pure cold shot from his three mouths, spiraling together into one larger beam. Lareth screamed and was thrown backwards as Watsumu was blown to bits.

**(K: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 4,700)**

Lareth groaned.

"Ooh, my aching kidneys…" he mumbled.

"And because the effects of your Sealed Beasts are once again… sealed," said Karl, "you can't use Watsumu's effect."

"Maybe so," said Lareth, "but don't celebrate yet. You apparently didn't notice the Trap Card that I activated as you attacked…"

Karl looked. Lareth's final facedown card was indeed now face-up.

"Damage = Reptile," said Lareth, as he got up. "I can use its effect, once per round, when a Reptile is destroyed by battle, to Special Summon a Monster with an Attack Score equal to or less than the damage I took."

A second Sealed Beast Boa Booran appeared in a flash of light. (1,000 DEF)

"I set one card facedown," said Karl, as a set card appeared behind Trishula, "and I end my turn. Don't forget, Lareth, this is my third turn since you played Seal of Sale, which means it goes away now."

The Spell Card in front of Lareth faded away. Karl looked at his facedown card.

_I have Sakuretsu Armor set, _he thought, _just in case…_

Lareth drew a card.

He took a card from his hand, the Trap Card he had drawn his first turn of the duel.

"I set this facedown," he said, as he set it in his Disk. "Then I move Khaotek to Defense Mode."

He turned the card on his Disk, and Khaotek curled up in a sitting position. (800 DEF)

"I end my turn…"

Karl drew a card.

It was Call of the Haunted. He looked at the three cards in his hand: Creature Swap, Wendigo of the Ice Barrier, and General Gantala of the Ice Barrier.

He quickly set Call of the Haunted in his disk.

Trishula roared, and breathed its triple-strength breath, eradicating Khaotek.

"So much for him," said Karl. "I end my turn…"

"Eh, parting is such sweet sorrow," said Lareth, making a draw.

He paused. He looked at Karl.

Then he threw a Spell Card into his Disk.

"I play Silent Doom!" he exclaimed. "Because Sealed Beasts are considered Normal Monsters, in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon one to the field in Defense Mode."

Khaotek appeared once again, again cowering in Defense Mode. (800 DEF)

"So what are your Sealed Beasts going to do without your Sealed Mantra?" asked Karl.

"Simple…" said Lareth. "I'll use them to summon a terror like you've never seen before…"

He played another Spell Card.

"I play Natural Tune! I select one Normal Monster that's Level 4 or lower, and that Monster becomes a Tuner.

"Without Sealed Mantra, my Sealed Beasts are considered Normal Monsters. So Boa Booran is now a Tuner.

"Which means I can Tune it along with Sealed Beast Khaotek…"

The two Sealed Beasts flew to the ceiling…

But something was different than your average Synchro Summoning… As the two Monsters turned into stars, the rings that the stars flew through were made of dark energy…

Lareth chanted words that seemed very different than the typical Synchro Chant…

"_And lo, the Lord of Pestilence shall walk the mortal world, and all whom his shadow falls upon will sicken and die…"_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

As he said this, a cloud of foul smoke started to rise from his side of the field. A low growl came from it, along with three separate sets of glowing red eyes…

"_I Synchro Summon… Demon King Dragon Beelze!"_

Karl stepped back in shock as the Monster stood revealed… All twenty feet in height and ten feet in width. Its lower body resembled the head of a colossal fly, on top of which a smaller, demonic torso in black armor sat. From behind sprouted two huge Dragon heads at the end of long necks, also covered with black armor. (3,000 ATK)

The hideous thing let out a roar that made the walls and ceiling crack.

"Beelzebub?" gasped Karl. "The Lord of the Flies?"

"You may have a Dragon that rules the Ice Barrier, Mr. Hudson," said Lareth, "but I have one that rules the Seventh Layer of Hell.

"Now, my Trap Card activates…"

His facedown card lifted up. A giggling gremlin holding a shovel leapt out of the card.

"Graverobber?" shouted Karl. "Who the heck still uses _that?"_

"I do," replied Lareth. "And I'll use it to take Pot of Avarice from your Graveyard."

The Spell Card flew out of Karl's discard slot, and flew to Lareth's hand.

"Wait a sec!" shouted Karl. "You do know that if you use that Spell, you'll take 2,000 points of damage, right?"

"That's the idea," said Lareth, as he played it.

His Life Points went down as he added Boo Booran, Nyp Gonon, Khaotek, Tssng, and Watsumu to his deck, reshuffled, and made two draws.

**(K: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 2,800)**

Then Karl was shocked as Demon King Dragon Beelze glowed with an aura of evil energy. (5,000 ATK)

"It gained Attack Points!" he exclaimed.

"That's right, Mr. Hudson," said Lareth. "Every time I take damage, it gains Attack Points equal to the amount of Life Points I lost.

"And I'm not done…"

He thrust a Spell Card forward.

"I play Tremendous Fire!"

Karl barely had time to react, but he screamed as a surge of flame erupted around him.

"You took 1,000 points of damage," said Lareth. "And I took 500, which means my Monster gains 500 more Attack Points."

The diabolic Dragon glowed with its foul aura again. Foul liquid dripped from its Dragon jaws. (5,500 ATK)

**(K: 2,800) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 2,300)**

Lareth paused, and looked at Karl.

"Don't feel too bad, Mr. Hudson…" he said. "You may have failed… But at least you gave me what I desired…

"I finally had a duel that was a challenge…

"Bye now… Demon King Dragon Beelze… Attack Trishula with Plague of Blasphemy!"

The horrible thing glared at Trishula. Its Dragon mouths opened, and flames formed inside them…

"I activate… Sakuretsu Armor!" screamed Karl, as his facedown card shot up.

Then he was startled as the Trap Card was blown to a million pieces.

"It didn't work!" he gasped.

Then a swarm of fiery locusts and flies flew from Demon King Dragon Beelze's horrible jaws, shooting towards Trishula. Karl's heart leapt into his mouth…

Then what he least expected happened. As the vile plague hit Trishula, the Dragon spread out his arms and wings, and sank his claws into the floor, trying with all his might to resist the terrible onslaught.

"What's this?" said Lareth.

"Trishula…" said Karl. "He's… He's trying to protect me!

"Trishula, no! Don't…"

Trishula roared in pure agony, but still, the Dragon of the Ice Barrier continued to hold on…

…until finally, it was too much. He shattered, and the remainder of the flaming plague plowed into Karl…

**(K: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 2,300)**

Karl reappeared in the Orb Chamber as he was thrown backwards, slamming against the couch.

An old saying went, "any landing you can walk away from is a good one".

Karl's last thought before he lost consciousness was… _This was NOT a good landing…_

Lareth appeared in front of him.

"_Karl!" _screamed Sal. _"Karl! Wake up!"_

"Oh, be quiet," said Lareth. "I hate machines…"

He reached down and hit a few buttons on the gauntlet.

"_Hey!" _shouted Sal. _"Who told you how to shut me off? Who…"_

But then went quiet as she powered down.

Lareth looked at Karl.

"Amazing…" he mused. "He still lives… That Dragon actually shielded him…

"Well, easily fixed…"

Shelly watched with horror from her cell as Lareth drew a long dagger from his belt.

Then he paused. He looked at the Orb of Dreams. Then he put the dagger back.

_Oh wait, that's right… _he thought. _As of right now, the Orb can cause either pleasant dreams or nightmares… But an act of murder in the Orb Chamber will tip the Orb's alliance completely to Evil, and make it incapable of causing anything but nightmares…_

_What to do… I suppose I could drag his ass out of here and _then _kill him…_

Then he lifted an eyebrow. He suddenly got a good idea.

_On second thought, seeing as he's already out, I guess I can let the Orb do it…_

He walked over to the Orb, and started speaking an incantation. Shelly, didn't understand the words, and for good reason. They were in Abyssal.

Most people thought that Abyssal was the language of demons, but there was more to it than that. Demons were really too chaotic to ever formally establish an official language for their race. Abyssal was actually a corruption of Supernal, the language of the gods. Most immortal beings, including celestials, devils, and modrons, adapted Supernal easily, but when demons tried to use it, it became tainted with raw Chaos, and became a whole new language.

For some reason, Abyssal was much easier for mortals to learn than Supernal, and Lareth spoke it fluently. As he spoke the spell, the dark side of the Orb of Dreams was centered on Karl… Karl began to twitch and moan in his sleep.

"That should do it," said Lareth.

"What are you doing?" exclaimed Shelly

"Giving Karl a little something to deal with," replied Lareth. "His dreams are about to be invaded by a Phantasmal Killer.

"Wait…" said Shelly. "A Phantasmal Killer? That could… kill him!"

"That's the idea," said Lareth. "He's got a strong will, so he may be able to convince himself that the phantasm pursuing him isn't real… For a while. But because of the special way I cast that spell, it won't give up.

"And you won't be waking him up, Shelly, because you're going to be asleep too. Pleasant dreams."

He lifted his hand, and Shelly fell into a deep slumber. Lareth turned to Karl for a minute, and then turned and left the room, leaving Karl to the nightmare that was starting in his head…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST WATSUMU (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 800  
**DEF:** 700

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* When this card is destroyed, select 2 Level 3 or lower "Sealed Beast" Monsters in your Graveyard, and add them to your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BARRIER OF THE ANCIENT WRITINGS**** (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **A robed man approaching a pillar covered with runes in a temple.

**Card Description: **Face-up "Sealed Mantra" cards you control cannot be destroyed by Spell Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster Effects.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**MANTRA**** OF PAIN (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A man collapsing in front of a demonic shadow as rows of glowing sigils encircle him.

**Card Description: **Activate when a "Sealed Beast" Monster you control is the target of an attack. Destroy the attacking Monster, and take one "Sealed Mantra" from your deck and add it to your hand.

_Note: "Sealed Beast Watsumu", "Barrier of the Ancient Writings", and "Mantra of Pain" were used by Amon in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DEMON KING DRAGON BEELZE (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Dragon/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 3,000

**Card Description: **_DARK Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

This card cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects. This card gains Attack Points equal to the amount of damage taken by the controller.

_Note: "Demon King Dragon Beelze" was first used by Sect in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" manga. Creative credit goes to the writers._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST MOMAW SAIBON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,000  
**DEF:** 1,900

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* Once per turn, during your turn, you may destroy 1 face-up Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST QUA GALATH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,400  
**DEF:** 1,100

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

*** **While this card is in Attack Position, it cannot be destroyed by battle.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST NYP GONON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 3  
**ATK:** 900  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* When this card battles, it gains 200 Attack Points times the Level of the opposing Monster during the damage step only.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEAL OF SALE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Upstart Goblin at an open market, handing a man in a dark robe a bag of money, and getting a scroll in return. The man in the dark robe has a fiendish shadow behind him.

**Card Description: **Your opponent draws two cards. This card remains face-up on the field for three of your opponent's turns. While this card is face-up on the field, "Sealed Beast" Monsters can be Normal Summoned with 1 less Tribute than required.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: I've been poisoned…**_

_**I've encountered the half-succubus Lorelei, and it seems she has no intention of playing fair. I have forty-five minutes before the magical poison she's inflicted me with has its full effect… And she has sadistically offered to share the antidote if I defeat her in a Shadow Duel. **_

_**Whether she's lying or not, I have no idea. I really have no choice. To make things worse, her deck seems to be full of Monsters of overwhelming power. My Level 4 Warriors are mismatched against the high-Level titans in her deck. **_

"_**The Behemoths; Deck of Raw Might" is coming soon. **_


	48. The Behemoths, Deck of Raw Might

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FORTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Behemoths**

**Deck of Raw Might**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Again, as Dugan was investigating the hideous artwork and Karl was entering the trophy room, Nichole was in another part of the Temple of All-Consumption. This part seemed a little more orderly than the places that her colleges were exploring, but it still had a chaotic and confusing feel to it.

The hallways were made of a white, metallic substance, and illumination came from strange clusters of crystals on the ceiling.

Eventually, she saw a door on the side of the hallway with the letters "LD" on it.

She tried the door. It wasn't locked, so she cautiously went inside.

She entered what looked like a woman's bedroom with a sinister feel. The color scheme was mostly black, and the furniture and décor had an evil appearance – much like what you'd expect to find in a female vampire's room (except that there was an actual bed, not a coffin). Nichole would _not _want to sleep in here.

There was a dresser, a wardrobe, and a vanity… One item that seemed out of place was a pet carrier in the middle of the room. There was also a very large mirror on the wall. Whoever owned the room clearly liked looking at herself.

She looked in the wardrobe, and found a lot of lingerie, many of them the style that you might see on a prostitute, others more fitting for a dominatrix.

On a whim, she checked out the bed, which was unmade and had black satin sheets. It seemed that the dominatrix theory was correct. The bedside table held a whip (along with bottles of scented oils and a bottle crème de menthe, but no glasses) while shackles where attached to the bedposts.

Upon closer inspection, she saw stains of blood on the sheets.

"You seem like a nice girl," said a male voice behind her. "So a word of advice… Lorelei does _not _like people snooping in her room."

Nichole quickly turned around. There wasn't a human being in sight.

Then she noticed a large, black cat sitting on the dresser, looking at her.

"Did you speak?" she asked.

"Do you see anyone else around?" asked the cat. "Hi… I'm Hank…

"And like I said, Lorelei will be very angry if she finds you here…"

Nichole looked at the cat hard.

"So, what are you?" she asked. "A familiar?"

Hank nervously scratched his ear.

"Uh, yeah…" he said. "That's what I am… A familiar…"

Nichole turned back towards the bed.

"Whips, chains, leather lingerie…" she said. "I take it that Lorelei is into S&M…"

"So long as she's the dominant one," replied Hank. "She is half-succubus, after all. I don't know what's wrong with the men she brings here… They all know what's happened to all her former lovers, but they never seem to realize that the same fate is probably waiting for them."

Nichole looked at the cat strangely.

"What…" she said. "What did she do to them?"

And then she screamed in pain. Something had stabbed her in the right buttock.

She slowly reached behind, and pulled out a small dart…

Then she turned around, and saw Lorelei, in her full scantily-dressed cambion form, holding a dart gun.

"Thanks for keeping her occupied, dad," said Lorelei, as she tossed it on the bed.

"DAD?" shouted Nichole.

She looked at Hank.

"You… He… HUH?"

She stopped short.

"Uh oh…"

"I had issues with my father, Nichole…" said Lorelei. "And by the way, that dart _was _poisoned, in case you're wondering… With the same potion I used on him."

"Baleful polymorph?" stammered Nichole.

"It shouldn't take full effect for about forty-five minutes…" said Lorelei. "After that, you're gonna have a strong urge to play with a ball of yarn."

"No…" said Nichole.

She didn't know what to do… There was no-one who could help her that she could get to that fast that she knew of…

Lorelei chuckled.

"Tell you what, Nichole," she said. "I'm willing to be a little lenient. Since you didn't know the rule…"

"Rule?" asked Nichole.

"The rule that says no-one is allowed in here!" snapped Lorelei. "Anyway, I'll give you a sporting chance. I have an antidote for that potion… Duel me… Win, and I'll share it."

"I think you're lying…" said Nichole.

"What choice do you have?" asked Lorelei.

Nichole sighed. She supposed she didn't.

"I accept your challenge…" she said.

"Fine…" said Lorelei. "But this room is a little cramped…"

She waved her hand, and just like Tiberius and Lareth did, the room melted away, and a sinister arena rose around them. Lorelei's Doomdreamer-issue Duel Disk appeared on her arm.

"Remember Nichole," she said, "you have forty-five minutes. But this Shadow Duel will make things a little more interesting…"

"What do you mean?" asked Nichole.

"You'll soon see," said Lorelei.

She smiled an evil smile.

The two Duel Disks activated.

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Lorelei: 8,000)**

"Duel!" they both shouted.

"Since you have far more at stake here than I do," said Lorelei, "I'll let you make the first move…"

Nichole didn't object. She made her first draw.

"I summon Amazoness Paladin!" she shouted.

With a shout, Paladin leapt onto the field. (1,700 ATK) –) (1,800 ATK)

"I'll end there," she said, quickly.

Lorelei grinned, and drew a card.

"I'll defend with a Monster," she said, as a set Monster appeared. "Then I'll set two cards."

She fit two cards into her Disk, and two facedown cards appeared behind the concealed Monster.

"I end _my _turn."

_Got to win quickly, _thought Nichole, as she drew a card, _or who knows what will happen to me?_

_If that potion has its full effect, my chances of escaping from this temple will be almost nonexistent…_

"I summon a second Amazoness Paladin!" she said as she played another card. "Two times the threat!" 

A twin of the first Paladin appeared. The two Paladins looked at each other as their Attack Scores both went up to 1,900.

"Now, Paladin number one will attack your Monster!"

The first Amazon leapt at the set card. Warrior Lady of the Wasteland appeared on the card briefly before Paladin's sword fell, and she was cut down.

"You use Warrior Lady of the Wasteland?" shouted Nichole in surprise.

"That's right," said Lorelei. "And since you use her yourself, you know what she can do.

"I'll use her effect to Special Summon a second Warrior Lady."

Another Warrior Lady of the Wasteland appeared where the first one had been. (1,100 ATK)

"Care to attack her?" purred Lorelei. "Unless you're scared of what I'll summon with _her _effect…"

Nichole frowned.

"I'll show you how scared I am!" she shot back. "Paladin number two, attack!"

The second Paladin swung her sword, cutting Warrior Lady in twain at the waist. The two pieces shattered.

"I use her effect," said Lorelei, "to summon the legendary Millennium Shield."

In a golden glow of energy, the shimmering golden shield with an Eye of Wdjat on the front appeared, hovering in mid-air. (0 ATK)

Nichole was surprised for a minute… Until she realized that Millennium Shield was, indeed, an Earth-Attribute Warrior.

"Uh…" said Nichole, as she took a card from her hand. "I'll set this facedown, and end my turn."

**(N: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,200)**

_What's she planning to do? _she thought._ Stall with a 3,000 Defense Point Monster until the forty-five minutes are up?_

Nichole was wrong. Lorelei did not plan to stall. She wanted to make this as painful for Nichole as possible. She was a Doomdreamer, after all.

She smirked as she drew a card. Then one of her facedown cards lifted up.

"I activate the Common Charity Trap Card," she said. "I get to make two draws."

She drew twice.

"Then I remove one Normal Monster in my hand from play."

She took one card from her hand and tucked it into her bra – likely the only place she could have put it. Still, Nichole was a little disgusted.

"Now," said Lorelei, as a Continuous Spell Card appeared on her side of the field, "I play the Advance Force Spell Card!

"With this card in play, I can Normal Summon a Level 7 or higher Monster with only one sacrifice, so long as the sacrifice is Level 5 or higher…

"Thus, I sacrifice the forgotten Millennium Item…"

Millennium Shield turned into an orb of energy.

"…for a creature that carries them… Behold the might of… Sengenjin!"

With a bellow of rage, a giant, muscular ogre appeared in front of Lorelei. It stood ten feet tall and five feet broad, had one eye in the center of its forehead, sharp teeth, wore a loincloth, wool boots, and a spiked harness, and carried lots of weapons on its back. (2,750 ATK)

"Hold on…" said Nichole. "First of all, there was never any Millennium Item that was a shield, forgotten or otherwise. Frankly, I don't know why Pegasus designed that card and called it a Millennium Item, seeing as he himself owned a Millennium Item and should have known better.

"Second, you say that this creature carries Millennium Items? Where? I don't see it carrying any."

Lorelei looked at Nichole.

"Uh…" she said. "It… says so on the card…

"Aw, who cares?"

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Escape from the Dark Dimension!" she shouted. "Since that Monster I removed from play to activate Common Charity was Dark, I can summon it to the field!

"Say hello… To Tri-Horned Dragon!"

With another roar, a huge, wingless Dragon with blue skin, foot-long claws on its hands and feet, and three horns on its head, appeared next to Sengenjin. (2,850 ATK)

"Okay, this is trouble…" muttered Nichole.

"Tri-Horned Dragon," said Lorelei, "you take the Paladin on the right."

The savage Dragon breathed a blast of white hot flame at the first Paladin, roasting her to a crisp. Nichole groaned, and held her stomach.

"Sengenjin, attack with Fist of Chaos!" shouted Lorelei.

The ogre rushed up to the second Paladin, and slugged her hard, blowing her to smithereens and knocking Nichole on her behind.

**(N: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 7,200)**

Lorelei looked at Nichole, and then grinned wickedly.

"My turn is over," she said.

"Ooh…" said Nichole, holding her head.

"Your move…" said Lorelei. "I'm sure you can hear me with those ears…"

Nichole quickly touched her ears. They were bigger, furry, and pointed.

"What have you done to me?" she shouted.

"I forgot to mention the rules of this Shadow Duel," said Lorelei. "I've tied it in with the potion that's running through your bloodstream.

"The more Life Points you lose, the more cat-like you'll become! Neat, huh?

"In a few turns, this is going to turn into a real catfight, in more ways than one!"

Nichole didn't think it was neat at all…

She got up. She drew a card.

_So she's got a couple of Level 8 powerhouses… _she thought. _Well… I've taken down tougher…_

"I summon Amazoness Swords Woman!" she shouted.

She played the card, and Swords Woman leapt out of it. (1,500 ATK)

"Oh, shit," said Lorelei. "If one of my Monsters attacks her, I'll only hurt myself…"

"Wishful thinking," said Nichole, as she played a Spell Card. "I play Amazoness Spellcaster!"

The aged Amazon shaman appeared behind her, and started to cast her powerful spell.

"By playing this card, Swords Woman's Attack Score switches with that of Tri-Horned Dragon's…"

Swords Woman's Attack Score rose to 2,850, while Tri-Horned Dragon's was reduced to 1,500.

"So now, Swords Woman can wipe that ugly smile off Sengenjin's face! Attack! Amazoness Sword Slash!" 

The Warrior rushed at the ogre, and hit it hard with her sword…

Sengenjin didn't react for a few seconds… Then it shivered for a second or two…

Then it collapsed, and exploded into shards.

"Well, what do you know, like a dinosaur," said Nichole. "Took a little while to reach its brain."

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Queen's Pawn!" she shouted.

Amazoness Tiger leapt out of the Trap Card with a roar. (1,100 ATK) –) (1,900 ATK) She pounced at Tri-Horned Dragon, and the horrid beast shattered like glass.

**(N: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,700)**

"Your move, demon," said Nichole. "I'm going to beat you yet…"

"Strong words," said Lorelei, making a draw. "You may have taken down two of my beasts…"

She played a card.

"But I have a whole deck full of them! I play Silent Doom!"

With an aura of energy, Sengenjin appeared again, kneeling and crouching in Defense Mode. (2,500 DEF)

"And because Advance Force is still on the field," she continued, "I can sacrifice him…"

Sengenjin vanished… Then a huge shadow loomed over the field…

Hovering in mid-air and covering Lorelei's whole side of the room was a gigantic Sea Serpent. It looked like the common perception of the Loch Ness Monster, only bigger – a sea beast with a rounded torso, fins, a long neck, and a monstrous head with long, sharp teeth. (2,900 ATK)

"Gaze upon Spiral Serpent," said Lorelei. "Oh, and by the way… That trick with the Amazoness Spellcaster isn't going to work again, because from now on, this Spell Card will be in play…"

She played a card, and a Continuous Spell Card appeared next to Advance Force.

"Non Spellcasting Area," she said. "It renders all Normal Monsters completely immune to Spell Cards.

"And now it's dinner time… Unfortunately for your Tiger, she's the main course…"

To Nichole's horror, Spiral Serpent lunged at Tiger, and lifted her up with its teeth, swallowing her whole. Nichole held her chest as pain stabbed into her torso.

**(N: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,700)**

She started to feel hot, and started to itch… Then she realized she was starting to grow fur…

_Mustn't panic… _she thought.

"It's your move, Kitty," chuckled Lorelei.

_Ooh, she'll pay for that… _said Nichole, as she made a draw.

She looked at the card.

_This might help, _she thought.

She set two cards, and two concealed cards, one a Monster, and one card in her Spell Zone appeared.

"Done!" she said.

Lorelei made a draw.

"Not bad…" she said, looking at it.

"I summon the Shaman of Sennen Genjin!" she shouted.

She played the card, and a savage-looking witch-doctor clad in furs and bone jewelry, holding a club, with only one eye in the center of his forehead and tusks pointing out of his mouth, leapt onto the field. (1,800 ATK)

"Kind of makes your Amazons feel right at home, huh?" she asked.

"Please!" said Nichole. "They have more class than _that _guy!"

"Regardless," said Lorelei, "he affords my Level 5 or higher Normal Monsters even more protection. If one of them would be destroyed, he takes the fall for it.

"Even better, now I don't have to lose a lot of Life Points to get rid of that annoying Swords Woman."

The Shaman of Sennen Genjin rushed at Swords Woman, and clobbered her with his club. Her sword spun through the air, hitting Lorelei, who winced slightly.

Then Spiral Serpent roared, and the chamber shook. The Morphing Jar appeared on Nichole's set card, and was blown to dust.

Nichole discarded Amazoness Blowpiper and Amazoness Scouts, while Lorelei discarded Synchro Boost. They both drew five cards.

"Huh…" said Lorelei, looking at her new hand. "Guess I'll set these…"

She set two cards, and two facedown cards appeared.

"…and I'll end my turn…"

**(N: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 6,400)**

Nichole made a draw. Then her face fell.

_What am I going to do? _she thought. _Sure, my Amazons can take down one or two Monsters that are stronger than they are, but not a whole mob of them!_

_I don't have any Monsters here that can stand up to these bullies…_

Then she stopped short.

_Wait… Maybe I don't… But I'm pretty sure that Lorelei does…_

She took two cards from her hand.

"I play Amazoness Fighting Spirit!" she exclaimed.

The Continuous Spell Card appeared.

"Then, I summon Amazoness Chain Master!"

She played the card, and the Amazon in the white fur bikini holding a spiked chain appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"Attack the Shaman of Sennen Genjin!" she commanded.

Chain Master rushed at the Shaman. The Amazoness Fighting Spirit card glowed, and her Attack Score rose to 2,500. She threw her chain, blowing the Shaman to shards.

**(N: 5,200) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,800)**

_Now I've got to hope for two things, _thought Nichole. _One, that she takes the bait…_

_And two, that my hunch is correct…_

"I end my turn…" she said.

"Talk about foolish…" said Lorelei, making a draw.

"Spiral Serpent… Devour Amazoness Chain Master!"

Nichole forced herself to look away, not willing to watch Chain Master being eaten. Still she felt the pain hit her when the attack struck.

Then she groaned and held her stomach, and a two-foot-long cat's tail sprouted from the base of her spine.

**(N: 3,800) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,800)**

"You may have hurt me…" she said. "But now I get to activate Chain Master's effect… The Chain Dance of Death!"

Chain Master's ghost appeared behind her, looking pissed off.

"I pay 1,500 Life Points," she said, as her Life Points fell another notch, "then I get to look at your hand, and snag a Monster from it."

Four cards appeared in front of Lorelei.

"So… Let's see if the card I wanted is there…"

The four cards turned around. They were Shrink, Disgraceful Charity, Pot of Avarice, and Gogiga Gagagigo.

"There!" she shouted, pointing at Gogiga Gagagigo.

Chain Master threw her chain like a grapple, hooking the Monster Card. It appeared in Nichole's hand. The Amazon smiled at Nichole, and then vanished.

"Congratulations," said Lorelei, with a smirk. "You got a Monster that can defeat Spiral Serpent…

"In theory, that is… How will you summon it? You'd need to swap two Monsters for it, and your deck isn't designed to summon high-Level Monsters easily like mine is.

"Oh wait… Wait, I know… You must be planning to try that same trick you used against Graves, and summon it using Dramatic Rescue! I'll bet you have it set on the field right now!

"Are you sure it will work?"

"One of _your _facedown cards is Justi-Break, right?" asked Nichole, putting her hand on her hip.

"Uh… Maybe…" said Lorelei.

"No, I'm sure of it," said Nichole. "You can trigger it when I attack a Normal Monster, and then it's just like a Mirror Force that only affects Effect Monsters. And Dramatic Rescue can't be activated in response to that.

"Well, I have news for you…"

She pointed to her facedown card.

"This ain't Dramatic Rescue."

It lifted up.

"I activate A Rival Appears!" she shouted. "This Trap lets me Special Summon a Monster from my hand, so long as its Level matches the Level of one of yours…

"I'll admit, I never dreamed I'd be using this Trap to Special Summon a Level 8 Monster, but…"

She threw the Gogiga Gagagigo card on her Disk, and with a loud roar, a Monster that was just as big as Spiral Serpent appeared. It was a giant, muscular Reptile with burnt red scales, and gold armor on its joints and chest. (2,950 ATK)

It growled at Spiral Serpent, and Spiral Serpent growled back…

"I hope your sea monster is ready for a clash of the titans…" said Nichole.

"I end my turn!" shouted Lorelei, who was now clearly angry.

**(N: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,800)**

Nichole drew a card.

"I activate… Mystical Space Typhoon!" she shouted, as she played a card.

The cyclone tore across the field, hitting one of Lorelei's facedown cards, which was indeed Justi-Break. It was blown to pieces.

"Now I activate, The Warrior Returning Alive," continued Nichole, as she played a Spell Card.

She quickly took Swords Woman from her discard slot.

Then she played the card, and Swords Woman appeared again. (1,500 ATK)

"Gogiga Gagagigo…" she said.

The giant Reptile drooled with anticipation.

"Attack with Savage Rend!"

The giant made two slashes with its claws, literally ripping the huge Sea Serpent in half.

"Now, Swords Woman attacks you directly!"

Swords Woman made a rush at Lorelei…

"Go, Soul Resurrection!" shouted Lorelei, as her other facedown card lifted up.

Spiral Serpent appeared again, this time curled up in Defense Mode. (2,900 ATK)

"Nonetheless, I continue my attack," said Nichole.

The Amazoness Fighting Spirit card glowed again, and Swords Woman's Attack Score shot up to 2,500. Her blade hit the beast's tough hide, and Lorelei grunted in pain.

**(N: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 5,350)**

"So what are you going to do?" asked Nichole. "That Shrink isn't going to work on Gogiga Gagagigo. Know why? Because your Non Spellcasting Area doesn't play favorites.

"And Gogiga Gagagigo is the second-strongest Normal Monster in the game. Only Kaiba's Dragons…"

"Tied for second-strongest," corrected Lorelei.

"Yeah, well…" said Nichole. "I'm pretty sure you don't have any Blue-Eyes in your deck, and…"

She stopped short.

"_Tied _for second-strongest?" she asked. "What Monster ties it?"

Lorelei simply glared at her.

"I… end my turn…" said Nichole.

Lorelei made a draw. She looked at it briefly.

She took two cards from her hand. She set them in her Disk, and two cards appeared in her Spell Zone, both facedown.

_Is one of those cards Shrink? _thought Nichole.

Lorelei nodded to Nichole.

"The silent treatment, huh?" said Nichole, as she made a draw. "Well, fine…"

"I sacrifice Swords Woman…"

Swords Woman vanished into grains of light.

"…for Amazoness Queen!"

With an air of majesty, the Queen appeared with a dramatic twirl of her cape. (2,400 ATK)

"And because Amazoness Fighting Spirit is still on the field," continued Nichole, "she can take down your Spiral Serpent…

"Attack! Blade of Hippolyta!"

The Queen rushed at the huge Serpent with her scimitar held high. With one stroke, she beheaded the huge beast. It collapsed with a crash, and then dissolved into grains of light.

Nichole pointed, and Gogiga Gagagigo made a rush at Lorelei. The cambion tried to stand her ground, but she screamed as the titan's mighty claw crashed down, throwing her ten feet backwards.

As she got up, she began to think that the gift of regeneration she had was somewhat of a double-edged sword… Like Tiberius had said, her god had not given her immunity to pain to go with it…

**(N: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 2,400)**

"All right…" she said with a growl. "It's my move…"

She drew a card.

"I play Pot of Avarice!" she shouted, as she played a card.

She quickly took both Warrior Ladies, Millennium Shield, Sengenjin, and Tri-Horned Dragon from her discard slot, shuffled them into her deck, and made two draws.

"Hmm…" she said.

She played a card.

"I play Card Destruction!" she said, playing another card. "Now we must each fold our hands, and draw an equal number."

They both discarded three cards, and drew another three. Lorelei looked at Nichole, and made a slight smirk.

Then her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Disgraceful Charity!" she exclaimed. "Now, we both get back the cards we just discarded…"

The discarded cards slipped out of the discard piles, and both duelists took them.

"You wanted to see what Monster tied Gogiga Gagagigo for second-strongest Normal Monster?" asked Lorelei. "Well… I'll be glad to make your acquaintance…

"But first thing's first…

"I play Tribute to the Doomed!"

She played a Spell Card, and discarded Shrink.

"It won't work on Gogiga Gagagigo due to Non Spellcasting Area," she continued, "but it will work of your Queen!"

A swarm of mummy linens rose out of the ground, and grabbed Amazoness Queen. She tried to struggle, but they had her. Quickly, she was pulled underground.

"No…" said Nichole.

"Now…" said Lorelei, as she played a Spell Card, "I play Ancient Rules!

"It lets me Special Summon a Normal Monster from my hand… I summon… Rabbi-Dragon!"

Nichole at first thought that the name of the Monster was short for "Rabid Dragon"…

She was wrong… The creature that appeared in front of her looked like something from a very bad fantasy movie. It was a Dragon with rabbit-like features, complete with bunny ears. (2,950 ATK)

The thing looked so ridiculous, it was hard for Nichole not to laugh at it…

"Who the blazes thought _that _up?" she shouted.

"I dunno…" said Lorelei, who was clearly just as puzzled as Nichole was. "I tend to think that whoever at I2 designed this card was on the sauce, if you know what I mean…

"Anyway… Rabbi-Dragon… Attack!"

The two behemoths faced each other. Gogiga Gagagigo roared and lunged at Rabbi-Dragon. Rabbi-Dragon breathed fire at Gogiga Gagagigo.

There was an explosion as both Monsters were incinerated.

Lorelei paused for a minute. She looked at Nichole.

Then her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Birthright…" she said.

In a flash of light, Rabbi-Dragon appeared again. (2,950 ATK)

"No, please!" shouted Nichole. "If you have any decency, you won't do it!"

Lorelei closed her eyes.

"I don't," she said. "Sorry." 

Rabbi-Dragon breathed flames again, and Nichole screamed…

**(N: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (L: 2,400)**

Nichole fell to her knees…

Losing would have been bad enough… But she lost from an attack from a _giant mutant rabbit…_

She noticed she was back in Lorelei's bedroom. The Doomdreamer was standing over her, and Hank was watching.

Lorelei held Nichole's chin.

"A shame, really…" said Lorelei. "Tell you what, Nichole… I'll still give you the antidote…

"All you have to do is agree to be my slave."

"Never…" whispered Nichole.

Lorelei chuckled. She let go.

"As you wish…" she said.

Then she reached down, and picked up Nichole from her pile of clothes. The potion's effect had now completely transformed Nichole. She had been turned into a black cat.

Nichole tried to claw at the Doomdreamer's face, but Lorelei had done this enough times to know exactly how far away from her face to hold a victim to avoid being clawed.

"Defiant to the end, huh?" she said. "Behave, or there'll be no kitty treats later!"

"So what are you going to do with her?" asked Hank.

"Oh, I think this one is a keeper," said Lorelei. "For a while at least…"

She quickly opened the pet carrier, and shoved Nichole inside. Then she closed the lid and latched it shut.

"Sit tight, Nichole," she said. "I'll be back to let you out of there in two hours."

Then she turned and left the room.

Nichole turned to Hank with a confused look.

"Because two hours is the point of no return," said Hank. "After that, the antidote no longer works. Trust me, I know."

Nichole cowered in one corner of her prison. For the first time in years, she was truly afraid…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHAMAN OF SENNEN GENJIN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast-Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **You can only control 1 "Shaman of Sennen Genjin". If a Level 5 or higher Normal Monster you control would be destroyed by battle or by a card effect that specifically targets 1 Monster, you can prevent it from being destroyed by destroying this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Ben: A floodgate has opened…**_

_**My memories are rushing back… I know my history… What my crime was… I even know my true name…**_

_**But still, the whole truth continues to elude me…**_

_**Now, I am facing the mysterious Madame Xane. She claims that she will offer me the means to confront my true enemy if I defeat her…**_

_**She will also offer me the way to find my allies, who are in grave danger… But not both at once! If I save my friends, it might be too late to find what I've been searching for so long…**_

"_**The Choice; Keeper of Forbidden Secrets" is coming soon. **_

_**What **_**can **_**change the nature of a man? I've sought the truth so long… Is it worth finding?**_


	49. Keeper of Forbidden Secrets

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**DUEL FORTY-NINE**

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**The Choice**

**Keeper of Forbidden Secrets**

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The grave danger that Dugan, Karl, and Nichole were in were unknown to anyone outside the Temple of All-Consumption, but people on the outside certainly weren't doing nothing. The Chicago Police Department was working diligently with local, state and national authorities on a solution to the problem, while Jalal had put every Shadowchaser in the United States on standby, while he personally led the squad that was now trying to find a flaw in the strange defenses surrounding the structure.

As he watched from the shores of Lake Michigan, an Incantifer came up to him. It was, in fact, Malafnon, the Incantifer that had hypnotized Ben (like many Incantifers, he had many areas of specialty).

"Okay, good news, bad news," he said.

"Bad news first," said Jalal.

"Well, we don't know how to pierce the structure's defenses – yet," said Malafnon. "The good news is, we have a general idea how they work.

"Apparently, the whole tower is sort of like an antenna, which is drawing power from some other dimension, possibly a Lower Plane, possibly the Darkfell… And it's using this power to fuel most of its infernal engines.

"Basically, this gives it a near-limitless supply of potential energy. However, the key to shutting it down may be to sever the connection, so to speak."

"And you're working on that?" asked Jalal.

"Affirmative…" said Malafnon. "I just don't know what's so important that they'd kidnap three Shadowchasers and then do nothing but keep us out…"

"It doesn't seem to make sense," said Jalal. "This tower is clearly the hub of that Great Sigil plan that Dugan's team found out about…

"But from what they told us, the other temples aren't all ready… It won't be ready to create the Great Sigil for months… Why would they reveal the hub to the whole world? Certainly they aren't so naïve to think that we wouldn't break through eventually…"

He paused.

"There's something else…" he said, ominously. "There's another part of the plan that Dugan's team never found out about…

"Something that's happening much sooner…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Ben groaned and held his head as he sat up.

"Okay…" he moaned. "This is seriously getting out of hand…"

The first thing he noticed was the smell of incense and saffron. Then he saw a black cauldron in front of him. Bottles of strange chemicals and alchemy equipment on tables holding mortars and pestles along with skulls and strange crystals completed the scene of a witch's lab.

"I see you're awake," said a woman's voice. "You always were resilient, Leorin."

Ben stood up with a start. He saw Madame Xane standing in front of him.

"Leorin…" he gasped. "That's my name, isn't it?"

"You tell me…" said Xane. "Search the memories that should be rushing back steadily right now."

Ben – who now knew that the name he had been called for so many weeks did not fit – looked at her hard.

"You can't be Marik's partner…" he said. "He specifically said the word 'he'…"

"No, I'm not…" said Xane. "But thanks to my control over that dark homunculus, I was able to make sure that his true partner kept his side of the bargain and returned your memories. He never would have otherwise.

"I am Madame Xane, an alchemist who works for the Doomdreamers… I'm the one who made those homunculi… But I sabotaged the one that Roxy used. It was supposed to grab Nichole, but something I put in it allowed me to control it at any time. It proved quite useful."

She turned to a pile of dust next to her.

"But unfortunately, the last of its power was spent bringing you here."

Ben – or rather Leorin – narrowed his eyes.

"Who's side are you on?" he asked.

Xane looked back at him with a glare that looked like it could curdle milk.

"The side which I can gain the most from…" she said. "Mine.

"You see, Leorin, if you remember correctly, there were two individuals who came to Ravel Darkquill who got the better of her… You were one, and I was the other. As an Incantifer, I did not need immortality. What I wanted was knowledge.

"She gave it to me, and I became capable of learning things that only the gods can fathom…

"But just as she fouled the ceremony that granted you eternal life, my gift was also tainted. I was also cursed. Each time I learned a benign secret, it came with a dark secret, I learned terrible things, forbidden knowledge that the gods hid away for good reason.

"I could likely learn the cure for cancer if I put some time into it… But I don't dare, as I'd learn of something that has the potential to plague humanity even worse than cancer does.

"But… I also learned about you…

"What happened to me could have been far worse… I could have ended up like another Incantifer named Domonous. His hunger for knowledge led him to the Orb of Silvery Death, which let him seek knowledge, but caused his body to atrophy, leaving him an invalid who required the Orb to live. Still, he was the one who informed me that you were finally in this reality… Why, I don't know.

"You want to end your curse, do you not? You want to know the whole truth?"

"Yes!" shouted Leorin. "How can I do it?"

"I can help you…" said Xane. "Sadly, the three allies who helped you reach this point will likely pay the ultimate price."

"WHAT?" gasped Leorin. "Dugan? Karl? Nichole? Where are they?"

"Defeated," said Xane. "And in great danger. Dugan will soon be prey for a mad demon. Karl can only survive for as long as he can convince himself that the illusory terror pursuing him isn't real. Nichole will likely survive, but her humanity will be lost soon, and she will be forced to serve as Lorelei's pet forever."

She waved her hand, and an analog clock appeared on the wall, showing the time: ten-fifteen.

"I cannot say for certain how long they have… But I _do _know for certain that at midnight, it will be far too late to save any of them."

"I've got to find them…" gasped Leorin.

He turned to the door.

"If you go rushing out, they will be doomed for sure," said Xane, as she sat in a chair. "Dugan was only partially right. This temple is built from the shadow-stuff of the Darkfell, but raw Chaos was infused into the bricks. Getting around its winding corridors is hard to do without help. That's how your friends got lost, and wound up where their foes had the advantage. Magical aid is needed to see through the illusion and get to where you actually want to go."

Leorin looked at her.

"What do I have to do?" he asked.

"I give nothing for free, Leorin," replied Xane. "But if you accept my challenge and win, I will give you access to two things that you need. But only one at a time."

She reached into her long robes. Then she took out two amulets, one shaped like a key, one shaped like a star.

"The Key Amulet will lead you to any place or any person in the Temple of All-Consumption," she explained. "It will lead you to your allies quickly. The Star Amulet will take you to the Crypt."

"Crypt?" asked Leorin.

"A place where your true foe waits…" replied Xane. "Marik's partner, as he called him. Where you can finally find all the answers you seek, and break this vicious cycle that plagues you…

"If you accept my challenge and defeat me in a duel, I will allow you access to these amulets…

"But not both at once… You may only have one at a time… Once you finish using one, you may come back for the other, if there's still time to use it."

She put them back in her robe.

"Will you accept my challenge?"

Leorin nervously looked at the clock.

"This guy at the Crypt…" he said. "He's not going anywhere, is he?"

"No," said Xane. "But I am. Midnight is also the time I will be leaving here."

It didn't take a genius to realize what Xane meant. Leorin would likely only get to use one of them…

He was very tempted to try to take the two amulets by force. His friends were in danger, and he didn't have time for games. But he knew some things about Incantifers. They were not only incredibly powerful sorcerers, but their apparently frail forms hid incredible strength and durability.

"Perhaps you'd best duel me now, and decide later," said Xane. "Midnight approaches, and you cannot stop it…"

She waved her hand, and like the three Doomdreamers had done, the workshop melted away, and an arena rose around them.

A Duel Disk appeared on Xane's arm. Leorin noticed that it appeared to be standard-issue, but he had a sneaking suspicion that this might still be a Shadow Duel.

He activated his Duel Disk.

"I see you have decided to accept my challenge," said Xane. "Remember, Leorin, time is of the essence…"

**(Leorin: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Xane: 8,000)**

Leorin drew his opening hand of five cards…

…and he looked at them in shock. There was The Creator, Herald of Creation, and Pious Warrior Rowen, the Warrior he couldn't bring himself to use in the duel with Marik.

_These cards… _he thought. _This… This is the same deck I used against Marik! _

_My deck didn't change this time… Why?_

"The first move is yours," said Xane.

Leorin drew a card.

He quickly set a card on his Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared.

"I'll end with that…" he said.

"I draw one card…" said Xane.

She made a draw.

"Then I summon… Arcana Force III – The Empress!"

A card appeared on the field, not a Duel Monsters card, but a tarot card. It bore the image of a woman in a white dress with a gold crown sitting on a throne, holding a scepter, with a shield at her feet.

In an aura of light that was so bright, it almost hurt Leorin's eyes, the card vanished, and a humanoid figure appeared in front of Xane. It looked nothing at all like the woman on the tarot card. It looked like a female alien, with an enlarged, rigged cranium, with long, clawed fingers, wearing a blue leotard with an elaborate collar with flared spikes on her back. (1,300 ATK)

"Ugh!" said Leorin.

"Now watch…" said Xane.

The Empress's card appeared above its head, and started turning clockwise.

"This card is going to rotate until you tell it to stop," said Xane. "The Empress, like all Arcana Force Monsters, has two effects. Which one it gains depends on whether it lands in an upright or inverted position."

"Stop that card!" shouted Leorin.

The card slowed to a stop, and halted in the upright position.

"Here's the deal…" said Xane. "Whenever you Normal Summon or set a Monster, I get to Special Summon an Arcana Force Monster.

"But until then… My Empress will attack."

The strange creature formed a ball of light in its hands, and hurled it at the set Monster. Masked Dragon appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

"I use Masked Dragon's effect," said Leorin. "I'll summon another Masked Dragon."

Another Masked Dragon appeared, glaring at The Empress through its mask. (1,400 ATK)

"As you wish," said Xane. "I set one card facedown, and my turn ends…"

A set card appeared behind the Empress.

Leorin quickly made a draw. He looked at The Creator.

_Best get rid of her Empress fast, _he thought. _It will let her summon another Monster… But I need another Monster myself in order to summon this guy…_

"I summon Hardened Armed Dragon!" he shouted.

The Monster that appeared in front of him didn't look much like a Dragon, and certainly didn't look like the Armed Dragons made famous by Manjyome Jun. It looked more like a large lizard with a bony exoskeleton, with a skull-like head. (1,500 ATK)

"I use The Empress's effect," said Xane, as she took a card from her hand.

Another tarot card appeared in front of her, this one depicting an old man with a beard, wearing a purple toga and a gold crown, sitting on a throne and holding a scepter.

"I Special Summon Arcana Force IV – The Emperor!"

The tarot card vanished, and a Monster appeared that, once again, did not look a thing like the picture on the tarot. It looked like a robot made of black metal, with a horned head, black wings, bladed claws on the ends of six metal tendrils, and glowing red orbs all over. (1,400 ATK)

"That guy's bark is worse that his bite," said Leorin.

"Maybe, maybe not…" said Xane.

The Emperor's card appeared above it, and started to spin.

"Again, it all depends on the effect. Upright, and all my Arcana Force Monsters gain 500 Attack Points. Inverted, and they lose 500 Attack Points."

"Stop now!" shouted Leorin.

He sighed as it landed upright again. The Empress rose to an Attack Score of 1,800, while the Emperor rose to 1,900.

"What the devil are these Arcana Force Monsters?" asked Leorin.

"Interesting choice of words…" said Xane.

"I've never even heard of them…" said Leorin.

"If you must know," said Xane, "the original cards were demonic servants of the Light of Ruin. I was able to duplicate them."

"How?" asked Leorin.

"Let's just say that it's one of the dark secrets I learned," replied Xane. "It's still your turn…"

Leorin moved a card on his Disk, and Masked Dragon moved to Defense Mode. (1,100 ATK)

_I'll have a surprise for her next turn, _he thought.

"Move," he said.

"I draw," said Xane, making a draw.

A third tarot appeared, depicting a princely, handsome figure sitting in a swift chariot pulled by two sphinxes, one white, and one black.

"I summon Arcana Force VII – The Chariot!" she exclaimed.

The Monster that appeared was the most bizarre one yet. It looked like some alien machine, saucer-shaped, with eyes around the circumference. Below it was two hose-like weapons, and above it was a smaller saucer connected to the main body; six tendrils with hands on the ends were attached to this unit. (1,700 ATK)

Once again, The Chariot's card appeared above and started to spin.

"If this card lands upright," said Xane, "then I take control of any Monster that The Chariot destroys. But if it lands inverted, you take control of it."

_One, two, three… _thought Leorin, watching the card.

"STOP!"

To his delight, it stopped upside-down. The Chariot floated over to his side of the field.

"Ugh…" he said, looking at it. "Not sure I _want_ it…"

Xane chuckled.

"Emperor…" she commanded. "Attack his Hardened Armed Dragon!"

The Emperor's six claws shot towards the bony lizard, and literally tore it limb from limb. Leorin was shocked by the violence.

"And now my Empress will repeat what she did last turn…" said Xane.

The Empress fired her blast, annihilating the second Masked Dragon.

Leorin smirked.

"Thank you!" he said. "You see, I can use Masked Dragon's effect to Special Summon _any _Dragon that has 1,500 Attack Points or less, even a Level 7 one!

"Come on out, Darkblaze Dragon!"

With a loud roar, a large, slender, armless Dragon with four wings and a long tail appeared where Masked Dragon had been. (1,200 ATK)

"It's your move," said Xane, calmly. "And just a reminder…"

The clock appeared behind her. It was now ten-thirty-five.

**(L: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (X: 8,000)**

Leorin quickly drew a card.

"I sacrifice Darkblaze Dragon and The Chariot…" he said.

The two Monsters vanished.

"…to summon The Creator!"

In an explosion of fiery light The bronze titan rose onto the field. (2,300 ATK)

"I use the Empress's effect," said Xane.

The tarot that appeared this time showed a young man in colorful robes in front of a table holding four objects: a wand, a sword, a golden cup, and a golden disk with a five-pointed star drawn on it (a pentacle).

Then the Monster appeared on the field. It looked like an alien, hairless humanoid with no facial features except two glowing eyes, wearing a high collar and shoulder pads, black-striped pantaloons and strangely pointed shoes. Its skin was dull grey, and its fingers were overly long. (1,100 ATK) –) (1,600 ATK)

"Now, let's see what effect Arcana Force I – The Magician will have," said Xane.

The card appeared and started to rotate.

"Stop now!" said Leorin.

The card landed, upright this time.

"Now, every time a Spell Card is played," said Xane, "my Magician's Attack Score will become double its base score."

_So upright is good and inverted is bad, _thought Leorin. _I think it's safe to assume that…_

He took Herald of Creation from his hand, and discarded it.

"By discarding one card," he said, "I can use The Creator's effect to summon Darkblaze Dragon back to the field…"

With a roar, Darkblaze Dragon appeared again.

"And due to its effect," he continued, "since I Special Summoned it from the Graveyard, its Attack and Defense Scores are doubled!"

(2,400 ATK)

"Darkblaze Dragon, attack The Emperor! Burning Prominence!"

The Dragon exhaled a blast of fire mixed with acid, and the creepy robot exploded into shards. Both of Xane's other Monsters fell to their base Attack Scores.

"And when Darkblaze Dragon destroys a Monster," continued Leorin, "you take damage equal to the destroyed Monster's Attack Score!"

Darkblaze Dragon exhaled flames again, this time striking Xane.

She didn't move at all. She just stood there like a statue.

"Good grief, you could flinch a little…" said Leorin.

"Creator, attack The Empress with Fires of Creation!"

The titan formed a ball of white-hot flame, and hurled it at the Empress, reducing the strange alien to hot ash.

"So much for her…" said Leorin. "I'll set this, and my turn is over."

He set a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

**(L: 7,600) - - - - - - - - - - (X: 4,700)**

"You've become more powerful than even I imagined," said Xane, as she made a draw. "It's time to take this duel further.

"I play Cup of Ace," she said, as she played a Spell Card.

The Spell Card started to rotate, just like the Monster Cards.

"A simple gambit," she said. "If it lands upright, I get to draw twice. If it lands inverted, then _you _get to draw twice."

"Stop that card!" shouted Leorin.

The card stopped, and Leorin sighed as it landed upright. Xane made two draws.

Then her facedown card lifted up, revealing Call of the Haunted. The Empress appeared again. (1,300 ATK)

The card appeared, above the Monster's head, and started to spin.

"Stop now!" said Leorin.

The card stopped, inverted.

"Seems it didn't turn out in your favor that time," said Leorin.

"It hardly matters," said Xane. "I play the Continuous Spell Card, Precious Cards from Beyond."

She fit the card into her Disk, and it appeared in front of her. The Magician's Attack Score rose to 2,200.

"Oh no…" said Leorin. "That lets you draw two cards whenever you Tribute Summon a Monster with two sacrifices…"

"I'm certain it is in your deck as well," said Xane. "And now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

The Empress and the Magician turned into globes of light…

The tarot card that appeared this time was different. In the picture, the moon was in the night sky looking down upon the world. Two dogs were howling at it in front of a river, from which a crayfish was watching. Two ominous pillars were in the background.

The tarot vanished, and a very big Monster started to materialize.

"I summon Arcana Force – XVIII," exclaimed Xane. "The Moon!"

The huge contraption that appeared seemed to be a big cryogenic chamber holding an alien creature inside. Two optic sensors were on the top of the device, it had two big, flexible arms, and a mass of tentacles underneath. (2,800 ATK)

"I draw two cards due to Precious Cards from Beyond," said Xane, as she made two draws.

"And once again…"

The Moon's card appeared above it, and started to spin.

"I'm not even gonna bother…" said Leorin.

Nonetheless, the card landed in an upright position. Leorin frowned.

"We'll get to that later," said Xane. "Next, I play the Spell Card, Arcanatic Doomscythe."

She quickly played the card, and took a card from her deck. (It was called Arcana Force XIV – Temperance).

"By discarding this Arcana Force Monster," she continued, "for this round only, all of my Arcana Force Monsters on the field gain an effect similar to your Darkblaze Dragon.

"And now, my Moon will attack your Creator! Freezing stream!"

A blast of pure cold shot from the apex of the contraption, and The Creator gasped as it froze solid. Then it shattered into inert pieces.

Then Leorin felt like he was stabbed in the stomach as the effect of Arcanatic Doomscythe kicked in.

**(L: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (X: 4,700)**

"That all you've got?" he asked, as he caught his breath.

He nervously looked at the clock. It was ten-fifty.

"Make your move…" said Xane.

Leorin drew. 

He quickly set a card on his Disk, and a facedown card appeared. Then he turned Darkblaze Dragon's card, and it sat in Defense Mode. (2,000 DEF)

"Move…" he said.

"I draw…" said Xane.

She looked at Leorin strangely.

"Due to the upright effect of The Moon," she said, "I now get a Moon Token."

The bubble on The Moon's center burst, and the small alien inside leapt out. (0 ATK)

Then Xane held up the card she had just drawn.

"Do you know what this card is, Leorin?" she asked. "It represents the being you feared the most… The being you feared so much that you sought out Ravel Darkquill and asked for immortality…

"The image on this card is that of the Enemy of Man… The Great Tempter… The King of Hell…"

The Moon and the Token vanished, and a new tarot card appeared. It depicted an obese, horned, goat-legged demon sitting on a throne. Chained to the throne by their necks were a naked man and woman who seemed curiously indifferent to their imprisonment.

Then the tarot card vanished, and the Monster started to appear.

"I summon…" said Xane, "Arcana Force XV, otherwise known as…

"_The Devil!"_

In an explosion of energy, the thing stood horribly revealed. It looked nothing like any depiction of Satan or any classic devil that Leorin knew about, but it was still hideous. Its body was colored black, shaped like an inverted triangle, and had three bulbous, lidless eyes. It had five long tentacles, four of which seemed to serve the same purpose as arms, while the fifth it balanced on as a makeshift leg. All five of the tentacles ended in barbed talons, and the foul thing glistened with slime. (2,500 ATK)

"Ho boy…" said Leorin.

"It's not pretty…" said Xane. "I get to draw twice due to Precious Cards from Beyond…"

She made two draws.

The card appeared above The Devil's head, and started to turn.

"Listen closely," she said. "If it lands upright, then when it attacks, I get to destroy a Monster, and inflict 500 points of damage to the Monster's controller.

"If it lands inverted, then when it attacks, all Monsters on the field are destroyed."

"Now wait just a minute!" shouted Leorin. "That's bad for me either way!"

Xane smirked a little.

"How little you know about the tarot," she said. "When The Devil shows up, it's _never _a good sign."

The card stopped… And it was right-side up.

"In that case…" said Leorin, as his one of his facedown cards lifted up, "I'm not gonna _let _it attack! Go Book of Moon!"

Xane stepped back in shock as The Devil vanished, replaced by a set Monster.

"Clever," she said. "But it still has more Defense Points than your Dragon has Attack Points…"

_So I noticed… _thought Leorin. _Which means I'd better summon something stronger, fast!_

He drew a card.

_That's it! _he thought.

His other facedown card lifted up.

"I activate _my _Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed.

Hardened Armed Dragon appeared in front of him. (1,500 ATK)

"And now, I'll trade in both of these Dragons…"

Darkblaze Dragon and Masked Dragon vanished. They turned into an orb of pure, golden light.

"…for the mighty Felgrand Dragon!"

The orb of light burst, and the most majestic Dragon, a Dragon made of pure gold, appeared on his side of the field. It stood upright on two legs, and in place of arms had two large wings. The light reflected off of its gilded hide. (2,800 ATK)

"Attack!" he shouted. "Burning Beam!"

Felgrand Dragon shot a bolt of pure light from its jaws, and The Devil went up in a blast of soot and smoke.

"Can't say I'm sorry to see it go," said Leorin, as he set two cards in his Disk.

Two facedown cards appeared behind Felgrand Dragon.

"I'll end with those…

"And guess what? When Hardened Armed Dragon is used as a sacrifice to summon a Level 7 or higher Monster, like this one, that Monster can't be destroyed by card effects."

Xane made a draw.

She quickly set a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

She nodded.

Leorin made a draw.

Of the two cards in his hand now, one was a Monster. It was Pious Warrior Rowen.

He paused.

Then the same feeling that had told him not to use this card during his duel with Marik told him that it was okay now. It was almost as if the same thing that disapproved before was now giving him permission.

He took the card, and threw it on his Disk.

"I summon Pious Warrior Rowen!" he shouted.

The female Warrior that appeared was tall, with chestnut-brown hair worn only slightly long. She wore leather armor and a cloak, and held a rather plain sword. (1,800 ATK)

Xane's eyes narrowed.

_Odd… _she thought._ Most of his deck has made sense up to now… But this female warrior… I have no idea where she fits in… Clearly, there are some secrets to him that even I cannot comprehend._

"Rowen, you attack first," said Leorin.

Rowen lifted her blade, and rushed at the concealed Monster…

An odd figure appeared on the card. It looked like it was of the same species as The Magician, except that it had snaky tendrils for hair, and a mask covering the upper half of its face. Its shirt and pantaloons were purple with black stripes. (0 DEF)

"Huh?" said Leorin. "Zero Defense Points?"

"Yes," said Xane, "but Arcana Force 0 – The Fool can't be destroyed in battle. Of course, since I didn't truly summon it, it can't use either of its effects…"

Leorin looked up at the clock, which now registered five minutes to eleven.

_And I have to hurry! _he thought.

He set his last card in his Disk, and it appeared facedown with the other two.

"My move…" said Xane, as she drew a card.

"I believe I'll play… My Necro Sacrifice Spell Card."

She played a card, and a very bizarre Spell appeared in front of her.

"The first thing I do," she continued. "Is take a Monster from my Graveyard, and Special Summon it… To _your _side of the field.

"However… You get to choose what Mode it's in."

"Defense Mode!" exclaimed Leorin.

"Very well…" said Xane.

The Chariot appeared on Leorin's side of the field. (1,700 DEF) Once again, the card appeared above it, and started to rotate.

"Now I get to tell it when to stop," said Xane, "and if it lands inverted, it will return to me.

"Stop right there!"

To Leorin's utter surprise, it landed upright. He almost laughed.

"Guess this guy just likes me better!" he exclaimed.

"We'll see," said Xane. "Because due to Necro Sacrifice's other effect, I now get to Normal Summon a Level 5 or 6 Monster with no sacrifice."

Yet another tarot card appeared in front of her. It was an odd scene, showing a beautiful maiden in a white dress with a gentle smile on her face, holding a lion firmly in a headlock.

"I summon Arcana Force VIII – The Strength!"

Again, the tarot vanished, and a much different Monster appeared. It looked like a cylindrical metal torso, with two thick, clawed mechanical arms, no legs, and a faceless head on the front. (1,800 ATK)

"The Strength is one of the riskiest cards in my deck," said Xane, as the card started to rotate. "If it lands upright, I get to take control of one of your Monsters. But if it lands inverted, you take control of all of my Monsters except this one…"

"Oh…" said Leorin. "Stop!"

The card came to a stop, and again, was upright.

"Figures…" he said. 

"Now, I think I'll take control of your Dragon…" said Xane.

"I think you won't!" replied Leorin, as one of his facedown cards shot up. "I activate Skill Shock!

"By sacrificing your Chariot…"

The Chariot vanished.

"…The Strength can neither use its effect nor attack this turn."

The Strength was jolted by electricity, and froze in place.

Xane closed her eyes and smiled slightly.

"Very well, Leorin…" she said. "I hoped I wouldn't have to do this…"

She played a card from her hand.

"I play Reverse Reborn," she said. "This Spell lets me Special Summon an Arcana Force Monster from my Graveyard and Equip it with this card… However, it automatically gets its inverted effect…"

The Empress appeared once again. (1,300 ATK)

"But that won't matter… Because now I send all three of my Monsters to the Graveyard…"

The Fool, The Strength, and The Empress all shattered into bright shards…

"…to Special Summon my greatest beast…"

No tarot card appeared as a forewarning of the creature's appearance this time. A huge, hulking _thing _loomed over the field, glaring at Leorin with cold, emotionless eyes. It looked like a giant, mechanized creature made of black metal, with claws the size of swords on its huge arms, two long tails, and blood-red patterns resembling veins all over its body.

"Gaze upon… _Arcana Force EX – The Dark Ruler!"_

(4,000 ATK)

"No fair!" shouted Leorin. "There's no tarot called the Dark Ruler!"

"Maybe not," said Xane, "but its effect is determined the same way…"

The Dark Ruler's card appeared above it, and started to rotate.

_I have a feeling I'm not gonna like it either way, _thought Leorin.

The card stopped, once again, right-side-up.

"And due to its upright effect," said Xane, "it gets to attack twice per round…"

"You gotta be kidding…" said Leorin.

Two ferocious-looking dragon-heads sprouted from The Dark Ruler's back.

"I never kid," said Xane.

"Attack his Pious Warrior! The End of Light!"

The two dragon heads blasted twin bolts of pure darkness at Rowen. She was vaporized, not even able to scream before they hit her.

"NO!" screamed Leorin.

Then he grunted as the pain from the blow hit him. He held his chest…

"Now for your Dragon…" said Xane. "Attack Felgrand Dragon!"

The Dark Ruler blasted its twin bolts a second time and Felgrand Dragon exploded into golden residue.

**(L: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (X: 4,700)**

"I hope you enjoyed that…" said Leorin.

One of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Because now I activate my Trap! Just try to stop this…

"Miracle's Wake!"

With an angry roar, Felgrand Dragon leapt back onto the field.

"And because I just Special Summoned it from my Graveyard," he continued, "its true effect activates… I get to choose one other Monster in my Graveyard, multiply its Level by 200, and then add the result to Felgrand Dragon's Attack Score."

The Creator appeared behind Felgrand Dragon. Then it turned into golden energy, and the Dragon bathed in the radiant glow. (4,400 ATK)

"So I see," said Xane. "Then it's a good thing that my Monster has a slight drawback to its power… After it attacks twice, it must move to Defense Mode until the End Phase of my next turn…"

The Dark Ruler squatted and crossed its massive arms. (4,000 DEF)

"I set one card, and end my turn," she said, as she set a card into her Disk. A card appeared in her Spell Zone.

As Leorin drew, he looked at the clock.

_Five minutes after eleven, _he thought. _I have to end this NOW. _

He looked at the card he had drawn. Quickly, he played it.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," he said. "I'll take Rowen back from the grave…"

He took Rowen's card from his discard slot.

"Then, I'll summon her!"

Rowen appeared, once again brandishing her sword. (1,800 ATK)

"Felgrand Dragon…" said Leorin.

The Dragon snarled.

"…obliterate The Dark Ruler! Burning Beam!"

Felgrand Dragon blasted its bolt of pure light, and Xane braced herself as the behemoth was torn apart in a deafening explosion.

Then Xane's facedown card lifted up.

"I activate… Rebirth of Arcana!" she exclaimed. "Because my Arcana Force Monster was destroyed, I can summon another one from my Graveyard when your Battle Phase ends… So long as it's a lower Level than the one you destroyed."

"Going to bring back The Devil, huh?" said Leorin. "Well, sorry… That's not going to happen…"

Then _his _Trap Card lifted up.

"I activate Lineage of Destruction!" he shouted. "Because my Level 8 Monster destroyed a Monster that was in Defense Mode, it gets to attack once again in row!"

Xane looked dumbfounded…

Then she screamed, as Felgrand Dragon made its second attack, striking her directly.

"Rowen, finish the job!" shouted Leorin. "Attack directly!"

Rowen leapt at the Incantifer, and one strike of a sword later, Madame Xane was propelled backwards, falling over.

**(L: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (X: 0)**

The two duelists appeared back in Xane's laboratory. The clock read ten minutes after eleven.

"You've lost!" shouted Leorin. "Now give me the Key Amulet!"

"Are you certain that's the one you want?" asked Xane.

Leorin closed his eyes tight. He wanted to take the Star Amulet… He wanted to with every fiber of his being…

But he knew what he had to do…

"Yes!" he shouted. "Give me the Key Amulet now!"

Xane quickly took the Key Amulet from her robe, and tossed it to him.

Leorin held it in his hand, and concentrated. He could see Dugan, Karl, and Nichole clearly.

"Thanks for helping me get my memories back," he said. "If I didn't have them… Hell, I might very well have chosen the Star Amulet…"

Xane stood up as he rushed out the door. She pulled herself into a chair.

"I know," she said. "Good luck, Knight of Arcadia…"

As Leorin rushed down the hallway, he knew the meaning of what he had said…

For he knew now what his crime had been… What had caused him to seek immortality in order to repent…

It had been a terrible act of betrayal, an act where those who had depended on him had perished because of his inaction.

And that was why he had made the choice that he had… Even if it meant forfeiting his chance to end his quest, he couldn't make the same mistake all over again…

The Key Amulet seemed to be working. The corridors and rooms didn't seem as confusing as his three allies had found them. He just hoped he could reach all of them in time…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARCANA FORCE VII: THE STRENGTH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 5  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,800

**Card Description: **When this card is Summoned, toss 1 coin. *Heads: Gain control of 1 of your opponent's face-up Monsters. *Tails: Your opponent gains control of all face-up Monsters you control except "Arcana Force VII: The Strength" for as long as this card remains face-up on the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NECRO SACRIFICE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A grinning mouth above a forest with trees shaped like hands; in the center, a figure is inside a glowing sphere.

**Card Description: **Select 1 Level 5 or higher Monster in your hand that can be Normal Summoned. Take the Monster(s) from your Graveyard necessary for a Tribute Summon of the selected Monster, and Special Summon them to your opponent's side of the field in face-up position (your opponent decides the Battle Positions). During this turn, you may Normal Summon the selected Monster without Tributing

_Note: "Arcana Force VII: The Strength" and "Necro Sacrifice" were first used by Saiou in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Source of Strength". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARCANA FORCE XV: THE DEVIL (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute:** Light  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description: **When this card is Summoned, toss 1 coin. *Heads: When this card declares an attack, select 1 Monster on the field other than the attack target and destroy it. Then, inflict 500 points of damage to the controller of the destroyed Monster. If that Monster is not destroyed, destroy this card. *Tails: When this card declares an attack, destroy all Monsters on the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REVERSE REBORN (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **The face of Arcana Force VIII: The Strength on a background of grey and white shapes.

**Card Description: **Select 1 "Arcana Force" Monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon it to your side of the field in Attack Position and Equip it with this card. The Special Summoned Monster has its "Tails" effect applied. If this card is removed from the field, destroy the Equipped Monster.

_Note: "Arcana Force XV: The Devil" and "Reverse Reborn" were first used by Saiou in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Phoenix Has Landed (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ARCANATIC DOOMSCYTHE**** (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Arcana Force XV: The Devil surrounded by scintillating lights.

**Card Description: **Select one "Arcana Force" Monster in your deck and send it to the Graveyard. This round, whenever an "Arcana Force" Monster destroys a Monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, the controller of the destroyed Monster takes damage equal to the ATK of the destroyed Monster.

_Note: "Arcanatic Doomscythe" was first used by Saiou in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Hands of Justice (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REBIRTH OF ARCANA**** (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Arcana Force I: The Magician standing over the fallen body of Arcana Force VII: The Strength.

**Card Description: **Activate when an "Arcana Force" Monster you control is destroyed as a result of battle. At the end of the Battle Phase, Special Summon an "Arcana Force" Monster from your Graveyard that is a lower Level than the destroyed Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PIOUS WARRIOR ROWEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **?

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Even if Leorin is successful in rescuing his allies, what will be next for him?**_

_**And what other secrets is Madame Xane hiding?**_

_**Find out in the next chapter, "Fault of Arrogance; Virtue of Wisdom". **_


	50. Fault of Arrogance, Virtue of Wisdom

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Fault of Arrogance**

**Virtue of Wisdom**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The three Doomdreamers entered the observation chamber once again. As they did, a holographic screen appeared, and the Triad watched them enter.

"Ah, your excellences," said Tiberius. "You'll be pleased to know that the plan was successful… Those three Shadowchasers have been successfully disposed of…"

The Triad glared at them, clearly not very pleased at all.

"What?" said Tiberius, nervously.

"That's very good, Tiberius," said the First. "Unfortunately, while you were disposing of those _three _Shadowchasers, a whole regiment of them has formed on the shore of the Gold Coast, led by Stormbringer himself!"

"Plus, the Chicago Police Department is raiding the TRUE Building as we speak," said the Third. "And Galti is speaking to the FBI."

"_You'd better think of something fast," _said the Second, _"because that Temple's defensive grid is NOT going to hold forever!"_

Tiberius gulped. He had done the last thing that even the most insane Doomdreamer would ever want to do… He had made the Triad angry…

"My Lords, please!" he said. "We'll be ready to perform the Ritual of Displacement in just over forty-eight hours! If Jalal is still in the city then, we might be able to take him out in the process!"

The Triad glared at him again.

"Uh…" said Tiberius, as sweat poured down his face. "I guess… I guess we can drop the sermons and all the other parts of the ritual that we all know are a bunch of baloney, and have the final incantations ready to cast in twenty-four hours…"

"You'd better…" said the First. "This whole plot to reveal the Temple to lure those three to their doom was your idea… If the whole plan falls apart because of it, you three will wish you had lost those Shadow Duels that have you now claiming victory…"

They vanished.

"Does this mean that the banquet is off?" asked Lorelei.

"Yes!" shouted Tiberius.

He rushed over to the other side of the room, and opened a closet. Inside were three long black and purple robes.

He quickly put one on, and then tossed the other two to Lareth and Lorelei.

"Since we haven't heard any thunder for a while," he said, "we can assume that those storm clouds I summoned to protect this place from the sun are now gone. Fortunately, it's eleven-fifteen at night, so the sun is not an issue yet. To summon some longer-lasting storm clouds, I'm going to need the Champion of Elemental Evil to awaken the full powers of the Tabernacle."

"Uh, Lareth, that's you," said Lorelei, as she and Lareth slipped their vestments on over their other clothes.

"I trust you know what to do," said Tiberius. "I hope you managed to get what we needed."

He opened a set of double doors, revealing a stairway going up.

Lareth looked at the Diabound Kernel card.

"Indeed I did," he said. "The power of elemental Earth that this demon stole from Naturia Exterio should be sufficient to meet our needs."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Leorin rushed into the dark dungeon where Dugan was being held prisoner.

"Ben!" shouted Dugan when he saw him. "Run for your life! There's a mad demon coming!"

Leorin looked at the hourglass.

"When this thing runs out, right?" he said.

"Yes!" shouted Dugan. "Run for…"

Leorin quickly turned the hourglass upside-down, and the timer was reset.

"Hey…" said Dugan. "Good idea…"

"Here…" said Leorin. "I'll pull you out of there…"

He reached for Dugan's hand.

Then he screamed as he was shocked by electricity.

"Not such a good an idea…" he said, shaking his hand.

"I think Tiberius used that device on the wall," said Dugan. "I can't see it… I can't exactly turn my head…"

Leorin rushed over to the fuse-box device with the six buttons.

"No labels on these, I'm afraid…" he said. "Just six colored buttons."

"Are there red and blue ones?" asked Dugan.

"Yeah…" said Leorin.

"Stay away from those two!" said Dugan. "I remember an old jargon about color-coded buttons and wires… It went: 'red, we're dead, blue, we're through, yellow, we're mellow'!"

"No yellow here," said Leorin. "The closest is a gold one…

"Wait…"

He remembered something that Marik had said when they had first met…

"_Look at the game of Duel Monsters… Attributes oppose… Fire and Water, Earth and Wind, Light and Dark…"_

"That aura of energy holding you is green," mused Ben. "Green means Wind in Duel Monsters…

"Earth opposes Wind… So maybe if I hit the brown button, it will create an opposing energy field, and the two will cancel each other out…"

"I guess it's worth a shot…" said Dugan.

"Here goes nothing…" said Leorin.

He hit the button. The aura holding Dugan undulated for a minute, and then shattered. He fell to the floor.

Leorin quickly looked at Dugan's watch.

"Eleven-twenty…" he said. "Hurry, Nichole and Karl don't have much longer…"

"What?" asked Dugan.

"Just follow me," said Leorin. "I'll tell you on the way."

Dugan snatched up his blunderbuss, and they rushed from the room.

"That demon is going to be pretty cheesed-off when it comes and doesn't find an offering," he said.

"Not our problem," said Leorin.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Nichole had quickly found one drawback to being a cat: fleas. The itching and biting was making her scratch constantly.

"Take it from someone who knows, Nichole," said Hank. "Scratching only makes it worse."

They were both shocked as Dugan kicked down the door. Nichole started to meow frantically.

"Good lord, Nichole, is that you?" gasped Dugan.

"I'm afraid it is," said Leorin. "Let her out, I think the antidote is in this room, and she only has twenty-five minutes to get it.

"Oh yeah, it's here…" said Hank. "But I'm not telling you where it is…" 

Dugan let Nichole out of the cage while Ben started to search the bureau.

"Cold," said Hank. "Cold. Colder. Even colder. Sub-zero… Wait, warmer…"

Nichole hissed at him.

"Maybe the antidote isn't even in here…" said Dugan.

Nichole mewed sadly.

"Wait…" said Leorin. "I'll wager it is. Lorelei is part succubus, right? I'm guessing that she did the same thing to a lot of former lovers, which means that she used Baleful Polymorph in this room many times…"

Dugan looked at him.

"Wait… I get what you're saying!" he said. "Lorelei must have stashed an antidote here in case she herself was exposed to the potion…

"So it must be in some place where a cat could reach it!"

They looked at the bed. Then Leorin reached under the bed.

"Bingo!" he said, pulling something out from under it.

It was a small, glowing crystal sphere.

"A disenchanter sphere!" he said. "Nichole, look into this… Look closely…"

Nichole stared into the sphere, and it glowed even brighter…

Then there was a burst of energy, and she fell to the floor, transformed back into her human self. And she was infuriated.

"OOH!" she fumed. "Wait until I get my hands on that cat! I'm gonna turn him into a purse! I'm gonna…"

Then Ben and Dugan covered their eyes. Nichole stopped short when she realized why…

Her clothes were lying in a pile on the other side of the room, where Lorelei had left them. She was naked as an infant. Hank was nowhere to be seen. The cat clearly had some avenue of escape.

"Nichole, get dressed, and hurry…" said Dugan. "Karl's time is running out fast…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Fortunately, Nichole's Duel Disk, sword, and the rest of her equipment were all there. Lorelei had apparently been too overconfident to believe that Nichole would free herself and find the sphere before it was too late. As Nichole ran down the hallway with her companions, the embarrassment turned into rage and a desire for revenge, not against Lorelei's father who had mocked her, but against the one who was truly responsible.

At fifteen minutes to midnight, one of Dugan's explosives blew open the door to the Orb Chamber.

They rushed over to Karl, who was still alive, but clearly in the middle of a horrible nightmare. Sweat was pouring down his brow, and he groaned and writhed in his fitful sleep.

"Karl!" said Nichole.

She shook him and slapped him.

"Wake up! It's us!"

"Wake up Karl!" said Leorin.

Karl didn't wake up.

Then Leorin turned to the Orb…

Then the unexpected happened. His Duel Disk started to glow with golden energy. Nichole gasped as the holy symbol around her neck started to glow with the same energy.

After a few seconds, the Orb turned gold, and an invigorating light filled the whole chamber.

Karl slowly started to come to, and so did the prisoners in the cells.

"What…" said Karl. "The thing that was chasing me… It just vanished and I felt the biggest healing surge in my life…"

"Karl," said Shelly's voice. "Karl!"

They turned to Shelly, who was reaching through the opening in her cell.

"I… I think I wanna go home now…" she said, sadly.

Karl sighed. He pushed some buttons on Sal, and she rebooted.

"I don't know what you did, Ben," said Dugan, "but it seems to have helped everyone here…"

"And I think I can unlock all of these cells…" said Karl. "We can ship these people to Shadowchaser Headquarters…"

"No we can't…" said Nichole. "According to Graves, no-one can get in or out of here until something called the Ritual of Displacement is done… I have no idea what it is, but I doubt it will be good…"

Leorin looked at Dugan's watch again.

_Five minutes to midnight… _he thought. _I'd have to be faster than a speeding bullet to get back to Xane's workshop before she left…_

…_and I'm no Superman…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The Tabernacle of Utter Darkness at the apex of the Temple was not the typical altar. Only Doomdreamers were allowed to worship here; in fact, the only way to get this room safely was to either be a Doomdreamer or be escorted by one (and they'd only escort you here if you were the intended victim of a sacrificial ritual).

Most folks who successfully got past the defenses and snuck in regretted doing so and quickly wanted to leave. The dank chamber was made of stone that looked like black crystal, with purple, vein-like cracks in it. Even worse was the altar. It was a lumpy, green construct that seemed to be made as much of flesh as it was of stone. In fact, if you looked at it long enough, it seemed to breathe with a sinister, unholy life.

The three Doomdreamers were now wearing another accessory along with their robes: full-head helmets adorned with bladed horns.

The Doomdreamers had always been held in high regard by the rest of the cult; after all, they were able to commune directly with Tharizdun through their dreams. At one time, they had circulated many fictions among the lesser members of the cult, to make them seem more menacing. One façade was their claim that simply looking them in the face was lethal. Thus, Doomdreamers at that time always wore these helmets when appearing to other cultists.

It worked back then, when Doomdreamers sequestered themselves in secret cabals far from civilization. But in the modern world, not all Doomdreamers could do this. Many, like Tiberius, had to put on public images for the cult to thrive. Thus the facades were dropped. The helmets were now only used for ceremonial purposes, for tradition more than anything else.

That suited Tiberius and Lorelei, and most other Doomdreamers just fine. These helmets were heavy, and no-one could wear them for long without getting a headache. Still, tradition wasn't always comfortable.

Lareth placed the Diabound card on the altar, then knelt, and started to chant.

"Dread Tharizdun, power of the Elder Elemental Eye and master of all destructive forces, I am the Champion of Elemental Evil and am ready to carry out your wishes."

The altar glowed with a sickly green light, proof enough that Lareth had been successful. Then the Diabound Kernel card burst into flames.

"I guess we won't be using that guy again…" said Tiberius.

Then an orb of the green light rose from the center of the altar…

The orb solidified into a single Duel Monsters card. A Spell Card. It floated towards Lareth, and he took it.

Slowly, he read the description on the card.

"Oh, thank you, Dark One," said Lareth. "This is even better… I will use this gift wisely."

He fit the card into his deck, and the Disk shuffled it.

"Hopefully, you won't need to use it at all," said Lorelei. "Duel Monsters shouldn't be needed for the three of us if the Ritual of Displacement works."

"All right…" said Tiberius. "Let's get started…"

Lareth started to chant before the altar again, and lightning stared to flash over Chicago once again.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

"Look, Shelly," said Dugan, "if there's any place at all in this Temple that's safe, take everyone there…"

As Shelly and the others walked down the corridor, he turned to Ben, who was clearly depressed.

"Ben…" he said.

"The name is Leorin," came the reply.

"You're remembering now?" asked Nichole. "You seem kind of bummed out.

"Heck, you saved our lives!"

"I'm glad you're safe…" said Leorin. "But I forfeited my chance to end this curse once and for all…"

"What?" asked Dugan. "What do you mean?"

Leorin held up the Key Amulet.

"The bitch who gave me this…" he said. "She basically gave me a choice between saving you and ending my curse… Maybe it was her idea of fun… Really funny, huh?

"But I couldn't let you down… I remembered what my crime was…"

"Would you like to talk about it?" asked Nichole.

Leorin sighed.

"Thousands of years ago…" he said, "in my first life, on another world… I was one of the Knights of Arcadia…"

Nichole gasped.

"St. Cuthbert's holy army!" she exclaimed. "I've only heard legends about them!"

"I was one of them, Nichole, and I wasn't just a foot soldier," he continued. "I was a commander. I marched against Sertrous's army of scaly folk when the Prince of Heretics made his advance on civilization. I was called upon to defend a small town.

"Our unit was winning… But when Sertrous himself appeared on the battlefield, in all his demonic, hideous glory, I panicked. I fled like a coward, abandoning my men."

"That was your crime?" said Karl. "_That _was why you assumed you would burn in Hell forever even if you spent your whole life repenting?"

"Uh, Karl?" said Dugan. "As a former military man, I know that abandoning your troops during a battle due to cowardice is a _very _serious crime. There was once a time when an officer would be hanged for such an act."

"You're right, Dugan…" said Leorin. "After fifteen minutes, I regained my courage and went back, but it was fifteen minutes too late. My abandonment had caused a serious blow to morale. Most of my troops had been slaughtered, and the town I had been sent to defend was lying in ruins. Sertrous's army had moved on to the larger city, and only the arrival of the archangel Avamerin turned the tide and allowed its defenders to claim victory.

"The faithful of St. Cuthbert can look forward to an afterlife in his Basilica, the Bastion of Law. But I had lost his favor, committing such a terrible act of betrayal. I wouldn't be welcome there. The blood of hundreds of soldiers and a thousand innocents who lived in that town was on my hands. No amount of repentance that I could fit into one lifetime would have made up for it…"

"So you tried to make your life longer…" said Nichole. "And ended up like this…"

Leorin held up the Key Amulet.

"I couldn't betray anyone a second time," he said. "So instead of choosing the amulet that would take me to the Crypt, where I could break my curse, I chose this one… This Key Amulet that could direct me to anywhere in the Temple of All-Consumption."

"Uh, Ben… Leorin?" said Karl. "How do you know that this Crypt isn't in the Temple of All-Consumption?

"I checked, Karl…" said Leorin, with a sigh. "Just now when you were unlocking those cells. And no, this thing can't direct me to the Crypt."

"Uh, Ben…" said Karl. "Sorry, Leorin… Can I see that?"

He took the Key Amulet, and looked at it.

On the back was a group of letters that seemed to be gibberish.

Iqtl dn rtxsfw f mywta xn rtixna

"Ben, did you see this?" he asked

"Well, yeah," said Leorin. "I figured it was some sort of code, but I was kind of in a hurry to save you guys."

"Well, let's decode it now," said Karl. "It shouldn't be too hard.

"Look, this F is alone. That means it stands for either I or A.

Sal, decode the sentence by replacing each letter with the letter three places past it in the English alphabet. If the F represents I, then we'll decode it."

Sal beeped, and then letters appeared in midair: Ftwo gq uwaviz i pbzwd aq uwlaqd

"Still gibberish…" said Karl. "Then it must be an A. Sal, try again, but this time, replace each letter with the letter that's five letters previous."

Sal did it again: dlog ni mosnar a htrow si modsiw.

"Still gibberish…" said Leorin.

"Read it backwards, Ben!" said Nichole. "Sorry, Leorin."

Leorin looked at it.

"Wisdom is worth a ransom in gold…" he said.

The Key Amulet shined, and a red ruby appeared in the very center.

"That old saying seems to have been a command word to unlock some additional powers of the amulet," said Dugan. "Try using it to locate the Crypt now."

Leorin held the amulet, and concentrated again.

"I… I can!" he exclaimed. "I can see the path plainly!"

"Seems you didn't forfeit anything, Ben," said Dugan. "Now, before you go there, do you think you can use that thing to tell us where to find those three bastards that are in charge? My foot has an appointment with Tiberius's ass."

Leorin concentrated again.

"The Tabernacle of Utter Darkness," he said. "At the top of the Temple. Just keep going up stairs until you reach the bronze doors.

"You guys sure you don't need any more help?"

"You've helped us more than enough, Leorin," said Karl.

"You sure?" asked Leorin. "There may have been Three Musketeers, but they still could always count on d'Artagnan."

"You've done plenty for us!" said Nichole. "Now go do what you have to do… We'll handle the Doomdreamers."

Leorin sighed.

"Okay…" he said. "But if you need me, don't hesitate to holler.

"As for me… I have to go _down _stairs."

They rushed down the hall, and entered a staircase. Leorin took the downward stair, while the others started running up the stairs.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Twenty minutes later, Dugan, Nichole, and Karl were _walking _up the stairs which seemed to go on a long time.

"…and then there was the fitness instructor I dated last year…" said Nichole. "After two weeks of beet juice and spinach smoothies, I was craving a Big Mac so badly I was about ready to buy a gun and hold up a McDonalds. So I broke up with him over the internet."

"Nichole," said Karl, "when you see a handsome, muscular hunk who doesn't have a girlfriend, and who isn't gay, that should send up a red flag."

"Enough, people!" said Dugan. "Enough about your former boyfriends, Nichole!"

"Nichole is just avoiding then more obvious issue, Dugan," said Karl. "Once we find Tiberius, Lorelei, and Lareth, what exactly are we going to do? In case you didn't notice, they're better than we are."

"And this time we'll be challenging them at the seat of their power!" added Nichole.

"And I might add," said Kurt, "Lareth has a Dark Card that's about twenty times more powerful than Hook the Hidden Knight. It's some Dark Dragon-Type Synchro that may very well be able to channel the power of Beelzebub."

"Beelzebub…" said Nichole, ominously. "The Lord of the Flies, ruler of the Seventh Layer of Hell… He's bad news. He's not one of the original Lords of the Nine, but he is known to be one of the most powerful. Among Hell's rulers, only Mephistopheles and Lucifer himself are stronger."

"You're telling me," said Karl. "I think it might be immune to Trap Cards. The only reason I survived its attack was because Trishula shielded me…"

He sighed and opened his Extra Deck. He looked at his strongest Monster.

"To think, this card was special and I never realized it…"

"Trishula is hardly your average Monster, Karl…" said Dugan. "Level 9 Synchros aren't exactly commonplace…

"And as for what we're gonna do… Don't worry, we're not gonna duel them."

"Huh?" said Nichole.

"I realize, people," said Dugan, "that reading the Great Treaty can sometimes be better than a warm glass of milk when you have insomnia…

"But believe it or not, I've read it _very_ thoroughly, and I know just what to do…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Down, down, and down. Leorin delved deep into the underbelly of the temple.

Eventually, the stairs ended in a dark, torch-lit dungeon.

In front of him, next to the corridor leader down even deeper, Madame Xane was sitting on a chair next to a table holding a tea service, sipping tea from a silver cup.

"Surprised, Leorin?" she asked.

"You said you were leaving the Temple at midnight," he said, looking at her suspiciously.

"I said nothing of the sort," replied Xane. "I said I was leaving at midnight. I'm no longer in the place I was, now am I?"

"You were testing me…" said Leorin. "The Star Amulet would probably have led me into a trap somewhere, right?

Xane slowly sipped her tea.

"The amulets do nothing on their own…" she replied. "I would liken their value to that of the prize found in a box of Crackerjacks. But the enchantments I put on that one make it act like a magical item."

"Why?" demanded Leorin. "Why were you testing me?"

Xane put the cup down.

"Because, Leorin…" she said. "I was also a faithful of St. Cuthbert… Most Incantifers don't worship anything but knowledge… I was always the oddball among my peers.

"You know, Leorin… I may have my knowledge, but even I would be hard pressed if asked the question that Darkquill asked you…"

Leorin looked at her hard.

"Regret…" he said, softly. "Regret can change the nature of a man…"

Xane nodded.

"Yes…" she said. "That was the answer you gave… She wasn't expecting it, and it impressed her enough to grant your wish.

"Did you still regret what you did? I had to make sure… I had to make certain that after all these years, you were still repentant, and would not do the same thing again.

"It was important, because it would be a shame, given what causes you to be reborn each time you die…"

"Was Marik telling the truth?" asked Leorin. "Does someone have to die for me to live each time?"

"You believed that sociopath?" said Xane with a frown. "He may not have been technically lying, but he was far from telling the complete truth. Yes, someone has died every time you were reborn, but each 'victim' was so despondent, that he or she had contemplated suicide several times."

"I don't understand…" said Leorin.

"Whenever you are reborn, someone dies…" said Xane. "Someone who, like you, desired redemption after committing a terrible sin. When he or she died, the spirit of that victim lived on in the form of a vestige, becoming part of your next incarnation, and every one thereafter. You have lived so many lives… And every life that has been lost to give you them is still a part of you. You hold them inside you, Leorin… When you finally find redemption, so will all of them…

"You hold the key to the redemption of hundreds of repentant sinners who sit at the seat of your soul…"

Leorin sighed.

"Lovely…" he said. "Thanks for making this a thousand times more nerve-wracking. How do you know so much about me?"

Xane picked up the teapot, and poured a fresh cup.

"I learned about you a long time ago," she said. "The only reason I agreed to work for Tiberius was because I knew you would oppose this cult eventually. You've opposed Tharizdun's unholy servants in almost every one of your incarnations. Sertrous is dead, so you've instinctively tried to prove yourself in Cuthbert's eyes by opposing the wicked god who spawned him.

"My old college Domonous told me recently that you were in this reality now, and in this city. I had time to prepare."

"Have I succeeded?" asked Leorin. "Will I be forgiven?"

"You'll discover that in the Crypt," replied Xane. "However, I can tell you one thing… I know why that Duel Disk of yours has, up to now, kept changing decks."

"Up to now?" asked Leorin. "Wait… The deck I used against Marik and the one I used against you were the same…"

"Yes…" said Xane. "The game of Duel Monsters has a multitude of cards, and hundreds of strategies. That Disk has many strategies too, each one representing one of the vestiges that dwell with you. They supply each deck.

"The Psychic Deck may have been from someone with psionic powers… The Blackwing Deck may have been from someone who trained birds for falconry. The Ojama Deck may simply have represented a person who was just… rude."

"But I used the same deck for both you and Marik…" added Leorin.

"There was a reason why I chose to duel you Ben…" said Xane. "I suspected that _your_ deck had awakened in your duel with Marik… I needed to make certain of it. No vestige supplied that deck… It is yours."

Leorin looked at his deck.

"My deck…" he said, softly. "Oh, I get it… Monsters who gain power from being summoned from the Graveyard…"

"Symbols of death and rebirth…" said Xane. "And beings of divinity. The deck will change no longer."

She sipped her tea.

Leorin looked at her.

"There was another reason for the duel, wasn't there?" he said. "The tarot card Monsters, the little speech you gave before summoning The Devil… All of those Monsters had symbolic meanings, didn't they?"

Xane nodded.

"Why did you think The Chariot joined your side not once, but twice, and helped you on both occasions?" she asked. "The Chariot represents your allies, the people you were fighting to save."

"Then there was The Emperor, The Empress… And The Magician…" said Ben. "Three wicked sorcerers, two male, and one female… Could they have represented Tiberius, Lorelei, and Lareth?"

"Yes and no," replied Xane. "They basically represented the enemies you've been fighting in each of your incarnations. In every life, you've fought the minions of Tharizdun, and those three Monsters represent these minions."

"And The Strength…" said Leorin.

"The Strength is a greater enemy," said Xane. "The one who is waiting for you at the Crypt. Just as the card represents dominance and control, that enemy has been controlling you for centuries, without you even knowing…

"But your ability to dodge its nasty effect in the duel proves that you are resisting his control now. And what Monster helped you do so?"

"The Chariot!" said Ben. "The card that represented my allies!"

Xane smiled.

"It's all becoming clear, isn't it?" she said.

Leorin frowned.

"I'm guessing that The Dark Ruler could only have represented one thing…" he said. "Tharizdun himself."

"Tharizdun is the ultimate enemy…" said Xane.

Leorin looked at her hard.

"One question…" asked Leorin. "Was the duel with Roxy really necessary?"

Xane nodded.

"Yes…" she replied. "Once I saw that you were using the Vairon and she was using the Inverz, I predicted you would lose, and I thought it would teach you something.

"You see, Leorin… One fault you have never lost over the centuries is your arrogance. It is to be expected… Most followers of St. Cuthbert have the same problem… St. Cuthbert himself is sometimes known for being more arrogant than even most gods…

"But arrogance can lead to downfall… Even for gods… Have you ever heard the legend of Io, the Eternal Grand Dragon?"

"Io?" said Leorin, lifting an eyebrow. "Wasn't she a lover of Zeus who he turned into a cow to hide from Hera?"

"Mmm," said Xane, "though I doubt Zeus ever told her of the entity that shared her name… The gods keep the story secret from mortals, but as you know, I have learned things that only they know…

"Bahamut is the lord of the metallic dragons, while Tiamat is the queen of the chromatic dragons… And they don't like each other much, do they? There's a reason behind their feud…

"Would you like to know it?"

Leorin nodded, so Xane started to relate a strange tale:

"It all began long, long ago, when the mortal races were still young, and while Tharizdun was still free, plotting his sinister plans. Io was the Eternal Grand Dragon. He was a majestic and beautiful sight, soaring through the Astral Plane on wings of pure prismatic light. The dragons, the legend says, were his particular creation, lovingly crafted to the pinnacle of mortal form. Great powers of the elements flowed through their veins, but they also possessed the keen minds and lofty spirits of other mortal races.

"Io's wisdom was the envy of all other deities, he was more chivalrous than any mortal knight, and he was protective to the extreme of dragonkind, regarding them as a father did to his sons.

"But there was a dark side to great Io. Greed filled his heart, both for wealth and power. He was selfish, not willing to share his belongings with anyone. And his vanity was incredible even by the standards of gods.

"Above all, he was arrogant and proud.

"When Tharizdun put his evil plan in motion, and all of existence was threatened, Io, like all other gods, was determined to put a stop to it. But while other gods stayed in groups for mutual protection, Io refused to accept help, refusing to believe he needed it. Insisting on working alone, so it was that after successfully slaying a legion of Tharizdun's hordes, he came into conflict with the demon lord Erek-Hus the King of Terror, one of the Dark God's mightiest henchmen.

"No-one had ever defeated Erek-Hus by himself before, and this time would be no different. After a lengthy fight, the demon lifted his mighty axe, and cleaved Io cleanly down the middle.

"Io was dead… But then, to the King of Terror's surprise, two new gods grew from the two halves of his sundered corpse.

"One of them would be called Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon. In him were embodied Io's great wisdom and protective drive, all the nobility and chivalry that the Eternal Grand Dragon once had.

"The other one was Tiamat, the Queen of Evil Dragons. In her were Io's greed, selfishness, and vanity. She possessed all of Io's negative qualities.

"Neither of the two newly-born gods had lost sight of Io's goal, and flew at Erek-Hus with raw fury. Exhausted from his battle with Io, the demon stood no chance. He was quickly slain.

"But this would be the first and final time that Bahamut and Tiamat would work together. As soon as they got a good look at each other, their expressions turned to hatred. They turned on each other, and started fighting. Only when Tiamat retreated did the two gods turn their attention back to the conflict at hand.

"For you see, one part of Io that both deities kept was his arrogance, and his desire to work alone. Tiamat would never ally herself with anyone else unless she was the master, and even other good deities would have a hard time making deals with Bahamut.

"Since then, long after Tharizdun's defeat, to this very day, the two have been sworn enemies. The metallic dragons swore allegiance to Bahamut, while the wicked chromatic wyrms worshiped Tiamat as their goddess…

"There are some that say that if the two dragon gods ever made peace, there would be a chance that they could reunite and that the Eternal Grand Dragon could once again grace the Astral Plane with his great beauty… But with Io's arrogance in both of them, it seems an impossible dream…"

Xane slowly sipped her tea again.

"Go down the hallway," she said. "The entrance to the Crypt is guarded by six demons. To get by them without a fight, you must answer the question that each one poses to you as honestly as possible.

"Good luck, Knight of Arcadia…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the three Shadowchasers seemed to be getting somewhere. The long flights of stairs had terminated at a long hallway, where the walls and floors seemed to be made out of white marble.

As they slowly and cautiously walked down, they saw a doorway on the side of the hall. On it were the letters "UMT".

"I think it stands for 'Ulysses Maxwell Tiberius'…" said Karl.

Dugan tried the door. It wasn't locked, so he carefully opened it.

"Be careful…" said Nichole. "Going into Lorelei's room got me turned into a cat…"

"Well, there are three of us now…" said Dugan.

Karl looked at Sal.

"And Sal isn't reading any magical auras other than the ones present in the whole temple…" he said. "Tiberius must not keep much in his room…"

They entered a rather simple suite. The furniture was decent, but not overly expensive. There was a bed, a closet, a writing desk, and a small refrigerator in the corner…

Karl curiously opened the small refrigerator. In it, he found several packaged Roquefort cheeses, along with brie and Camembert.

"Seems he never lost his craving for expensive French cheese," he remarked, closing it.

Dugan went over to the writing desk, and opened a drawer.

There didn't seem to be anything unusual inside… It contained pens, a notepad, and copy of _Sports Illustrated…_

Then he noticed something… The drawer had a false bottom.

He lifted it up, and then took something out of it: a leather-bound journal, monogramed with the letters UMT.

"A diary?" asked Nichole.

"So it seems…" said Dugan, opening the journal.

"Hmm… The dates are from a little over ten years ago… When he was still an Air Force chaplain, I assume…"

"Anything interesting?" asked Nichole.

"Typical stuff…" said Dugan, as he started to skim the pages.

"Wait… here's something near the back…"

He started to read.

_No-one has shown up yet for my nine 'o clock Sunday mass… But I'm not discouraged… It's only ten-fifteen… After all, the folks who are stationed here don't have all too much faith any more, and I don't blame them._

_A man came to me for confession the other day, and told me he hates the CO. What could I say? I'm not too fond of the man either. Morale has been slipping lately, and the top brass are trying to put the blame on underlings, just as men in positions of power always tend to do. _

"Harsh words…" said Karl.

"Wait…" said Dugan. "Here's another entry…"

_Yolanda came to see me today… She needed someone to talk to. I don't blame her if her job is getting stressful. She has to give the flu vaccine to everyone this month, and everyone is so grouchy about having to get it. You'd think that hardened soldiers who went through basic training would be able to get a simple shot without any fuss._

_I wish Yolanda came to talk to me more often. When I look at her I see the daughter I sometimes wish I had… She's the only one who seems to sympathize with me…_

"A lady medic…" said Nichole. "Wait, could this have something to do with why he has Counselor Lily in his deck? A Monster to remind him of someone he used to care for?"

"Possibly…" said Dugan. "Maybe there's some information on what happened to her…"

He turned a few pages.

"Listen to this…"

_The evening news brought more of the same from the Middle East. Qalath has claimed responsibility for the two suicide bombers that killed twenty recruits at a Yemen military academy. Apparently, it was retaliation for the conviction of a Jihadist leader who had engineered suicide bombings last year that were in response to other arrests. This upstart group is the fifth since the Arabian Alliance arrested the last of Al-Qaida's leadership, and yet these fanatics never seem to run out of lunatics willing to blow themselves up to keep up this vicious cycle in support of their lost cause. I seriously doubt that any of these people have even sat down to actually read the Quran. _

Dugan turned a few pages.

"Here's the last entry…" he said.

_The world disgusts me. People are treacherous, crude, and cruel, and the natural world is little better. When you've seen as much as I have, there's really not much left to feel but loathing. _

"No more information on Yolanda, I'm afraid…" he said.

"Do you think that Tiberius became the man he is now because he was… shell shocked?" asked Nichole.

"The proper term these days is 'combat stress disorder'," said Dugan. "And even though Tiberius never saw any actual combat – he was a chaplain, after all – his job was one of the hardest.

"Let's face it, military chaplains have a tough job. The Bible says 'Thou shalt not kill', but the soldiers that a chaplain must counsel rarely have a choice on the battlefield. A chaplain has to be _very _careful about what he says to the folks who come to him.

"Maybe with Tiberius, the conflicting nature of his job did indeed cause him to go over the edge…"

He sighed.

"There's nothing more to see here, people… We'd best keep going…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

About a hundred feet more down the hall, they came to a large chamber. In front of them were two huge bronze doors, shut tight.

To the side of the door was a desk where a demon – they supposed – with the head of a fanged jackal wearing a long robe and a pair of spectacles was sitting, writing some things down in a large book with a quill pen.

"Uh…" said Dugan.

"Names, please?" said the demon, not looking up from its book.

This kind of took them by surprise. They expected more resistance.

"Should we give our names?" asked Karl.

"Maybe we'd better," said Dugan. "There's no way my explosives are gonna knock _that _door down.

"Jacob Dugan…"

"Uh, Nichole Belvins," said Nichole.

"Karl Hudson," said Karl.

The demon adjusted its spectacles, and started to look through the book.

"Mmm…" it said. "Nope… No Doomdreamers by any of those names…"

"Is that a problem?" asked Dugan.

The demon closed its book.

"Well, yeah!" it said. "You folks want to get to the Tabernacle of Utter Darkness, right?"

The three Shadowchasers didn't know how to respond.

"Of course you do," it said, "this room doesn't lead anywhere else. Anyway, the only safe way there if you aren't a Doomdreamer is to be escorted by one."

"So are you going to try to stop us?" asked Nichole.

"Good grief, no, I'm just the doorman," said the demon. "But once you go in there, someone will.

"All three of you will face a guardian who represents a major turning point in your life… Something that led to a major decision that changed you forever, which would have altered your life significantly if it had turned out differently. To defeat it, you must remember that time, and make sure things fall in your favor again."

It waved its arm, and the doors slowly swung open with an ominous creak. Only darkness was visible on the other side.

"Uh…" said the demon. "You aren't really going in there, are you?"

"Why?" asked Karl. "What happens if we don't succeed at this little test?"

"Mmm…" it said. "Hard to tell… Of the people who go in there, only those who succeed ever come out.

"Heh… Some people think that if you fail, the result of the original turning point is undone, and your whole history is rearranged, causing your current self to be… erased from existence.

"But that may just be silly speculation…"

It opened the book again, and resumed writing.

Dugan sighed.

"We either go forward or go back," he said. "And if we go back, those three lunatics will be free to finish this Ritual of Displacement thing, whatever it is."

They all looked into the darkness.

"Forward?" said Nichole.

"Forward," said Karl.

They each took a deep breath, and walked through the doorway. The demon grunted in disgust, and waved its hand. As the three Shadowchasers vanished into the darkness, the two doors slammed shut.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Dugan: I have been shifted to a dimensional limbo… At a place between what was… And what might have been…**_

_**Not truly in the past, but not in the present either, I am facing the first Shadowkind I ever directly opposed. Unlike most Shadowchaser apprentices, he was no lightweight then, and I don't expect him to be one now. But I must prevail, just as I did last time. Fortunately, I have a way of dealing with him that I didn't have last time…**_

_**I may even be able to win this duel in a way I haven't done so before… I may be an old dog, but I have some new tricks up my sleeve…**_

"_**Past Decisions; The Choice to Change" is coming soon. **_


	51. Past Decisions, The Choice to Change

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-ONE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Past Decisions**

**The Choice to Change**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

"Nichole?" shouted Dugan. "Karl!"

No answer. His two companions had vanished.

He was in total darkness. He held his hand in front of his face, but couldn't see a thing.

Then he noticed he was sweating. It was getting hotter… Hotter and more humid…

The darkness slowly started to give way to dim light, and the stone floor under his feet turned softer as he walked forward. Sand? A beach?

He found himself facing the sea, under the night sky… He turned around, and saw palm trees, with the lights of a city in the distance…

Then he noticed the biggest change… His clothing.

"My old field uniform!" he exclaimed.

He looked at the old uniform, amazed that it still fit. He knew he had gained weight since he left the Marines…

Then he realized where he was…

"Chile…" he said. "I'm back in Chile…"

He checked his gear. Unfortunately, his service revolver and his rifle were not there, nor was his blunderbuss. He really hadn't expected them to be there, but there was no harm in checking. His Duel Disk was still on his arm, but that was about it. Some of his Marine-issue gear was still on his belt, including his handheld transceiver, but he was pretty certain that he couldn't use it to radio for help…

_Why am I here? _he thought, as he looked out to sea. _What happened here that was a turning point?_

Then the fog on the sea lifted, and a phantom frigate appeared from out of the mist…

Dugan stepped back in shock.

"I know that ship…" he said.

"Sure you do," said a familiar voice behind him. "I'll bet you never intended to see it intact again…"

Dugan slowly turned around, and looked face-to-face with the Flying Dutchman…

He was a tall man, dressed in a leather jerkin and trousers held up by a red sash, with a wide-brimmed hat on his head. His unkempt hair was worn long and was pale-white, his skin was just as pale, and his eyes were cold and inhuman.

"Okay, this can't be real…" said Dugan. "Last I checked, you weren't even able to feed yourself yet…"

"So what am I, Dugan?" asked the Dutchman. "A figment of your imagination?"

He drew his rapier from his belt, and thrust it forward, pressing against Dugan's neck.

"I seem pretty real, don't I?" asked the dark fey.

"I'll take your word for it…" said Dugan, nervously.

_How is this a turning point? _he thought.

"Tell me, Dugan…" said the Dutchman, glaring at him.

He paused for a minute.

"Do you fear death? Do you fear that dark abyss? All your deeds laid bare, all your sins punished?"

Dugan merely closed his eyes and smirked a little.

"Nice touch Dutchman," he said, "but it takes away from quoting that particular film when the only thing named after you was Davy Jones' ship. Not that it doesn't seem oddly fitting in hindsight, seeing as, like him, you're a shoddy barnacle encrusted piece of shit..."

The Dutchman growled. He stuck his rapier into the ground, and then got right up in Dugan's face baring his teeth like an animal.

"Then if it's not death you fear," he hissed, "we have an eternity to find what you _do_ fear Major! You cheated me out of your immortal soul once, now we settle your debt to me once and for all, and I intend to have you join the ranks of my crew come hell or high water, understood?"

He growled his eyes glowing like motes of molten silver.

_Yeah, it's him all right… _thought Dugan. _I'd remember that foul breath anywhere…_

"You double-crossed me, Dugan…" growled the Dutchman. "I won that game of chess… But all you were doing was delaying me so that the sun could come up to sink my ship!"

"Listen, pal…" said Dugan, as he took a step backwards. "The only thing that keeps piracy from being considered an act of war is the fact that pirates don't swear allegiance to any government. And pirates rarely follow the Rules of Engagement. There was once a time when pirates were simply hanged from the yardarm.

"In many ways, you guys are worse than terrorists… At least they, on some demented level, think that they stand for a religious or political cause. You folks do it for nothing but greed.

"When I deal with people who think that they don't have to follow rules, then anything goes."

The Flying Dutchman calmed down a little. Not that he seemed any less upset. Then he smiled.

"You don't think I follow rules, huh?" he asked. "Okay… let's resolve this with something that has rules… A gentleman's challenge, if you will…"

"What, you want to play chess again?" asked Dugan.

"Don't be absurd," said the Dutchman. "I've already beaten you at chess, remember? Let's play this new game you've mastered… Duel Monsters."

"And just why would you want to play 'my' game?" asked Dugan.

"Why else?" asked the Dutchman. "To humiliate you! To pay you back for what you did to me."

Dugan looked at him.

"Fine, fine…" he said.

_I'm guessing that was the idea all along… _he thought.

The Dutchman lifted his left arm, and a very gaudy-looking Duel Disk appeared on it. Dugan had heard about Anacisbriefly in stories about Yukai Judai…the wealthy, seagoing duelist who was so shallow that he thought that everything (and everyone) in the world could be bought. As a man who liked to flaunt his wealth, Anacis had a similar Disk, a gold-plated model covered with gemstones.

Dugan looked at it in disgust. It looked like someone had gotten sick in a jewelry store. His own Disk activated.

"All right, fine…" he grumbled. "Let's stop beating around the bush."

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Dugan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Flying Dutchman: 8,000)**

"Well, let's see what we have here…" said the Dutchman, as he made his first draw.

"I summon Skull Kraken!" he exclaimed.

The Monster that appeared looked like the skull of a huge squid – if squids had skulls, which they didn't. Still, the large skull with glowing red eyes had ten tentacles made of bone in place of a lower jaw. (600 ATK)

"It's not the strongest Monster," he said, "but once per turn, I can move it to Defense Mode."

(1,600 DEF)

"And that will be all for now…"

Dugan drew a card.

"I summon Scrap Goblin!" he exclaimed.

The little Beast-Warrior hopped onto the field. (0 ATK)

"Then, I can Special Summon Scrap Orthros…"

He played another card, and the metal, two-headed hound followed. (1,700 ATK)

"Having done that, I have to destroy Scrap Goblin…"

The Goblin shattered into pieces of broken metal.

"But at least I have a shot at your Skull…"

Scrap Orthros breathed twin jets of flame at the strange Aqua, and it exploded into pieces of bone.

_Have to try to take my time… _thought Dugan. _It may not be enough to win… I still have to find out just why my first fight with this guy was a "turning point"… _

_Was taking down this creep truly what defined me? What makes him different from all the other Shadowkind crooks in the world?_

"My move, Major!" exclaimed the Dutchman.

He drew a card.

Then he tapped his Disk, and the Field Slot opened.

_This could only mean one thing… _thought Dugan.

"I play A Legendary Ocean!" exclaimed The Dutchman.

A huge wave rose behind him, and crashed onto the beach, swamping it. As Dugan rubbed the sea water out of his eyes, the water flooded the whole area, and an undersea city rose out of the ocean behind the Dutchman.

"Funny you should call me a 'shoddy, barnacle-encrusted piece of shit'," he said, "as it were… Barnacles do have uses, you know…

"I summon Drill Barnacle!"

The Monster's name fit it perfectly. It was a large barnacle that had mechanized drills for ridges. (300 ATK)

"And might I add," continued The Dutchman, "my Field Spell gives all Water Monsters 200 more points for both attacking and defending…"

(500 ATK)

"Drill Barnacle is still far too weak to trade blows with your hound," he continued, "but no matter… It has the ability to attack directly!"

Drill Barnacle's drills spun, and it flew at Dugan. The blow took him by surprise… He wasn't expecting it.

"Just a flesh wound…" said Dugan.

"But it will get worse," said the Dutchman. "You see, each time Drill Barnacle attacks directly and succeeds, it gains 1,000 Attack Points."

(1,500 ATK)

"I'll set this," he said, as a facedown card appeared on the watery surface, "and then you can make your move…"

**(D: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 8,000)**

Dugan looked at the facedown card as he made a draw.

_Obviously a Trap… _he thought. _Better not risk another Monster…_

"Attack his Drill Barnacle!" he shouted.

Scrap Orthros snarled.

"I activate… Gravity Bind!" shouted the Dutchman as his facedown card lifted up.

_Crud… _thought Dugan. _That card will keep most of my Monsters from attacking…_

_But the downgrading effect of this Field Spell will change his Level 4 Monsters to Level 3… Who'd have known he'd pick up on this game so fast?_

He took a card from his hand, and set it on his Disk. A facedown card appeared on his side of the field.

"Your move," he said.

The Dutchman grinned as he made a draw.

"Honestly, Dugan," he said. "This is like shooting fish in a barrel!

"I summon Metabo-Shark!"

There was a large splash, as a very fat shark broke surface. It had six fins, and was covered with body piercings. (1,800 ATK) –) (2,000 ATK)

"Since this worked so well before…"

Drill Barnacle flew at Dugan again, and Dugan grunted in pain as its drills stabbed into him. The crustacean's Attack Score rose to 2,500.

Then Metabo-Shark blasted a bolt of goo from its mouth, and Scrap Orthros melted into a puddle of ichor.

**(D: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 8,000)**

"Your move, Dugan…" said the Dutchman. "What piece of garbage are you going to pass off as a Monster next?"

"You have a deluded sense of what's garbage, buddy," said Dugan, making a draw. "My Monsters may be made of junk, but if a creature's value was determined by his virtues, you would rank with the stuff you find in a cesspool.

"I don't have any garbage… But I do have Trap Eater!"

The Dutchman stepped back in shock as the Fiend with the huge mouth leapt onto the field and swallowed the Gravity Bind card with one gulp. Then it looked at him with a big, toothy grin. (1,900 ATK)

"Next, I summon Scrap Hunter!" exclaimed Dugan.

A portal opened, and the armed robot on tank treads emerged, hovering over the water. (1,600 ATK)

"Then, I Tuner my Level 4 Trap Eater with my Level 3 Scrap Hunter…"

The two Monsters flew into the night sky above A Legendary Ocean, fading into light…

"_Deep within the junkyard, an ominous portal to the Underworld opens! Soul of a demon, body of debris and cast-iron, rise from the infernal pits below!"_

**(*4 + *3 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Archfiend!"_

With a roar, the huge cast-iron demon emerged from the sea. (2,700 ATK)

"Attack that Drill Barnacle!" he shouted. "Blazing Bolts!"

Scrap Archfiend blasted rays of energy from its eyes, blowing the arthropod to bits. The dark fey grunted.

"Well, that was unpleasant…" said the pirate.

"Take turn…" said Dugan.

**(D: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 7,800)**

"Very well…" said The Dutchman.

He drew a card.

"I'll move Metabo-Shark to Defense Mode…"

The fat fish covered itself with its fins. (700 DEF)

"Then I'll set a Monster…"

A hidden Monster appeared.

"…and this too…"

A set card materialized in his Spell Zone.

"…and that will be all…"

Dugan drew a card.

_He's only allowed one copy of Gravity Bind… _he thought. _Still, Water Monsters have gotten more powerful recently and allow for a lot of variations… I could be up against anything…_

"You like Fish, do you?" he said. "Meet my Scrap Shark!"

The huge shark made of junk and spare parts appeared on the field. (2,100 ATK)

"That's a Fish?" asked the Dutchman. "It looks like I need a tetanus shot just looking at it!"

"Well, let's see how your Shark does against it," said Dugan. "Attack his Metabo-Shark!"

Scrap Shark blasted twin torpedoes at Metabo-Shark, turning the fat Fish to chum.

"And then there's my Archfiend!"

The demon blasted its Blazing Bolts. Mother Grizzly appeared on the card, and exploded.

"I activate Mother Grizzly's effect," said The Dutchman. "Since you sent it to Davy Jones, I can bring Jar Turtle to the field."

Dugan had seen this Monster before – Acamar had used it. It was a turtle with red scales, with the Jar of Greed on its back. (200 ATK) –) (400 ATK)

"Which means Scrap Shark's effect activates," said Dugan.

Scrap Shark burst into shards of metal.

"Because it destroyed itself," he continued, "I get to send one Scrap Monster from my deck to the Graveyard…"

He discarded Scrap Mind Reader.

"I'll set this…"

A facedown card appeared behind Scrap Archfiend.

"…and end my turn…"

"Then I draw," said the Dutchman, making a draw.

"And I activate Jar of Greed!"

His Trap Card lifted up.

"Which, thanks to my Jar Turtle, is as good as a Pot of Greed!"

He drew two cards.

"Next, Jar Turtle moves to Defense Mode…"

Jar Turtle slunk back into its jar-shaped shell. (2,300 DEF)

"And I'll set this too…"

Another defensive Monster appeared on his side of the field.

"It's your move…"

Dugan made a draw.

"Let's go, Scrap Beast!" he shouted.

Scrap Beast broke surface, and shook the water from its head. (1,600 ATK)

"A little water isn't going to keep my Scraps down," he said. "Scrap Archfiend, sink his Jar Turtle!"

The Archfiend blasted its eye-beams, and the Turtle exploded.

"Scrap Beast, attack with Junkyard Frenzy!"

Scrap Beast pounced, and Dark Mimic LV1 appeared on the card. The Scrap crushed it, and the Dutchman made one draw.

_He sure seems to have a lot of draw cards… _thought Dugan. _What am I saying, he's a pirate! Cards that let you gain "loot" are going to appeal to him…_

"I move to my second Main Phase…" he said, "and then Special Summon Scrap Mind Reader to the field."

The small Scrap Tuner rose out of the sea next to Dugan's other two Monsters. (0 DEF)

"And it's your go."

"My move!" laughed the Dutchman, making a draw.

He chuckled maniacally at Dugan.

"Since you foiled my attempt to hit you with low-Level Monsters," he said, "I'm just going to have to go higher…

"Of course… My Ocean Field Spell makes this Level 5 Monster, which is high, a Level 4, which is low…"

There was an explosion and a great surge of water as a titanic sea beast burst through the surface. It was a gigantic killer whale, with torpedoes on its underside, and missiles and a huge crane on its back. (2,100 ATK) –) (2,300 ATK)

"Yeah, yeah…" said Dugan. "Funny, your Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness may look intimidating, but my Scrap Archfiend is still 400 points stronger."

"Then I'll have to make my Monster stronger," said the Dutchman. "With the Spell Card, Aqua Jet!"

He threw a card into his Disk, and large, turbine engines appeared on Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness's stern. (3,300 ATK)

"As you can see, this increases my Monster's Attack Score by a grand," he continued. "And don't think you can weaken it by using Mystical Space Typhoon or Giant Trunade… It's not an Equip Spell."

"It increases that thing's Attack Score permanently?" gasped Dugan.

"It only works on Fish, Aqua, and Sea Serpent-Type Monsters," said the Dutchman, "but yeah…"

The huge creature opened its great jowls, and a giant cannon aimed at Scrap Archfiend…

"Send his Scrap Archfiend to a watery grave!" shouted the Flying Dutchman. "Attack with Killer Whale Cannon!"

"I activate Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" shouted Dugan.

His command was nearly drowned out as the weapon fired in a deafening blast, but the Trap activated.

When the smoke cleared, the makeshift scarecrow was standing in front of Scrap Archfiend, dented and scorched, but still intact.

It slowly vanished as the card reset on the field.

"You are tenacious…" said the Dutchman, as he set three cards into his Disk. Three facedown cards appeared.

"Or maybe you're just stubborn? I'm not sure… It's your move…"

Dugan looked at the giant behemoth as he made a draw.

_Three Trap Cards… _he thought. _Maybe summoning Scrap Dragon might not be a good idea right now…_

He looked at his two set cards.

He set a third one, and then turned two of the cards on his Disk. Scrap Archfiend knelt in Defense Mode. (1,800 DEF) Then Scrap Beast did the same. (1,300 DEF)

"It's your move…" he said.

The Dutchman grinned again, as he made a draw.

He played the card, and a rush of water came towards Dugan as another large craft started to surface.

It broke surface, a large PT boat shaped like a shark, armed with two torpedoes shaped like smaller sharks. (1,800 ATK) –) (2,000 ATK)

"What do you think of Shark Cruiser?" laughed the Dutchman. "Your Scrap-Iron Scarecrow can only be used once per turn, and I've got two attacks!"

Orca prepared to fire.

"Looks like your Archfiend is about to be buried at sea!"

The cannon glowed with energy.

"In activate… Scrap Rage!" shouted Dugan.

One of his other Trap Cards lifted up.

"This increases my Archfiend's Defense Score by 2,000 points!"

(3,800 DEF)

The Flying Dutchman screamed as the cannon blasted and the backlash hit him.

"Curse you, Dugan!" he shouted. "Shark Cruiser, attack his Scrap Beast!"

Shark Cruiser fired its torpedoes, but Dugan quickly hit his Duel Disk, and Scrap-Iron Scarecrow activated again, blocking the attack.

"I end my turn…" snarled the pirate.

"Which means, unfortunately, that Scrap Archfiend is destroyed…" said Dugan.

The Synchro shattered into pixels.

**(D: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 7,300)**

He made a draw.

_It's now or never… _he thought.

He activated his last Trap Card, and Call of the Haunted revealed itself. Scrap Archfiend rose to the surface again. (2,700 ATK)

"Now, I'll Tune my Level 1 Scrap Mind Reader with my Level 7 Scrap Archfiend…" he continued.

The Tuner and the Synchro flew into the sky, turning into a cluster of stars…

**(*1 +*7 = *8)**

With a bellow, Scrap Dragon descended onto the field. (2,800 ATK)

"Now, I'll destroy my inert Call of the Haunted," he continued, "so I can sink your battleship!"

Call of the Haunted shattered.

"Destroy Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness!"

"I can't believe you took the bait!" laughed the Dutchman.

One of his facedown cards lifted.

"I activate… Skill Twist! It forces your Monster's effect to change targets!

"So instead of destroying Orca… Your Dragon will sink my Shark Cruiser."

Shark Cruiser's engine exploded, and it erupted in flames. It quickly sank below the waves.

"But when Shark Cruiser is deep-sixed, that's a _good _thing, because I get to bring out two, not one, but _two _Level 4 or lower Water Monsters from my deck!"

Two strange Monsters appeared in front of him. One looked like a missile shaped like a spiral, pointed shell. (1,000 ATK) –) (1,200 ATK) The other looked like a torpedo shaped like a fish. (1,000 ATK) –) (1,200 ATK)

_Cannonball Spear Shellfish and Torpedo Fish! _thought Dugan in horror as he looked at them. _He planned it all out… He tricked me into destroying Shark Cruiser so he could summon those two Monsters to use as ammo for Orca's effect!_

He paused.

"Scrap Dragon, attack Torpedo Fish!" he shouted.

"Not so fast!" shouted the Dutchman. "I activate Tornado Wall!"

One of his Trap Cards lifted up.

"It keeps me from taking Battle Damage so long as Field Spell is in play."

"It won't protect your Monsters!" said Dugan.

"That's what this other Trap is for!" laughed the Dutchman, as his other card lifted up. "Astral Barrier!

"It turns all your attacks into direct attacks!"

Scrap Dragon's toxic blaze hit him, but glanced harmlessly off as he grinned wickedly.

"Astral Barrier makes my Monsters invincible…" he gloated. "While Tornado Wall makes ME invincible!"

Dugan looked at him.

"Who's the one who's outsmarting who this time, Dugan?" he chuckled.

Dugan didn't answer for a minute or two…

"I… I end my turn…" he said, slowly.

"Draw…" said the Flying Dutchman, drawing a card.

"And I sacrifice Cannonball Spear Shellfish to destroy one Spell or Trap Card."

The Shellfish vanished, and then was launched from the bow of the Orca. It crashed down, blowing Scrap-Iron Scarecrow to pieces.

"Next, I sacrifice Torpedo Fish to sink your Scrap Dragon!"

Torpedo Fish vanished, and was then launched from the Orca's underside. It hit home, blowing Scrap Dragon into smithereens.

"I use Scrap Dragon's effect!" shouted Dugan.

Scrap Orthros appeared in front of him, sitting in Defense Mode. (1,100 DEF)

The Orca Mega Fortress of Darkness blasted its mighty cannon again, and this time there was nothing to stand in its way. It reduced Scrap Orthros to molten metal.

"Face it, Dugan," said the Dutchman, "you should have kept your nose out of our business. You would have saved yourself a whole lot of grief if you had just left me and my crew alone that night…

"But no… You had to be the hero…"

"I never said I wanted to be the hero…" said Dugan. "Never in my whole life did I want to be a 'hero'. I just wanted to do…"

He stopped short.

"…what was right…"

That was when a sudden realization came to him.

"Keeping my nose out of 'his' business…" he said. "Out of 'their' business…

"That's why this was a turning point…"

He turned towards his foe.

"All of a sudden this demented battle is starting to make sense," he said. "Before I met you, I could see the Shadows… I could see them committing crimes and hurting humans…

"Whether it was a succubus trying to seduce a man or a spriggan trying to sucker people with rigged games of chance, I saw it all… But I never got involved unless they threatened a member of my unit or a friend.

"And even then, I just steered him away from the problem and let the Shadows continue what they were doing. It was none of my business… Or so I thought…

"It all changed when I met you, and you threatened to rob a whole town. I realized the threat that evil Shadows like you could pose, and realized that I couldn't simply stay out of it any longer…

"I had a gift… I was Aware… I knew then that I had to make the most of it…"

The Dutchman chuckled.

"So where has this 'gift' taken you?" he mocked. "In case you didn't notice, you're staring down the face of a killer whale armed with a giant cannon."

Dugan drew a card.

"Just watch me," he said.

He glanced at the card.

"I throw a card facedown, and end my turn," he said.

A set card appeared behind Scrap Beast.

"My move!" laughed The Dutchman.

"And I play Pot of Avarice!" he laughed, as he played the card.

He quickly took Shark Cruiser, Skull Kraken, Drill Barnacle, Metabo-Shark, and Jar Turtle and shuffled them into his deck. He made two draws.

"I have to admit, Dugan," he said, "this game of yours is a lot more fun than plain old chess… After all, chess doesn't give you the opportunity to sick a bunch of ferocious sea beasts on your opponent!"

He looked at the two cards he had drawn.

"Still, all these big, nasty ones are getting on my nerves," he said. "Think I'll bring out someone who's a little nicer...

"I summon Mermaid Knight!"

In a splash, a feminine figure rose out of A Legendary Ocean. The mermaid had red hair, wore armor, and carried a sword and shield. (1,500 ATK) –) (1,700 ATK)

He frowned.

"Mermaids tended to swim away from my ship fast when they saw it coming…" he said. "And they were so hard to catch!"

Dugan looked at him hard. He _really _didn't want to know what happened to the ones he _did _manage to catch…

"But this one does what I tell her to," continued the Dutchman, "and with my Field Spell in play, she can attack twice per round!

"Attack!"

Mermaid Knight flew towards Scrap Beast, and with one swipe, cut the Scrap in half.

"You're defenseless!" shouted the Dutchman.

"But your Monsters aren't going to do as well either," said Dugan, as his facedown card lifted up. "I activate… Scrap Crash!

"Because my Scrap Monster was destroyed, so are all Spell and Trap Cards on the field."

"Eh?" said The Dutchman.

Then he gasped as Astral Barrier and Tornado Wall shattered, while the palace behind him crumbled into a pile of rubble and the ocean water receded. Both of his Monsters lost 200 points from their scores.

"Your Field Spell is gone," said Dugan. "So Mermaid Knight can't make a second attack."

The evil fey clenched his fists in anger…

"I still have my Orca!" he shouted. "Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness, attack that landlubber!"

The Orca's cannon fired again, and Dugan struggled to keep from being blown over as the energy blast hit him.

He held his chest and gasped for breath.

**(D: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 7,300)**

"Well, let's see…" said the pirate. "My Life Points are far ahead of yours… I've got the superior Monster… All you've got is your newfound sense of purpose. Let's see how far it gets you…"

Dugan drew a card.

"Oh, I can get very far," he said.

He threw a card on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

"Move," he said.

The Dutchman chuckled as he made a draw.

He pointed, and Mermaid Knight flew at the Monster.

Unfortunately for him, her sword hit against Scrap Goblin with a clang. (500 DEF)

"You're trying my patience, Dugan," he growled.

The Orca blasted its cannon, and still, Scrap Goblin held. But then the Dutchman waved his hand in disgust, and the small Beast-Warrior shattered.

He set a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared. 

"Make your move…" he said.

Dugan drew a card.

"I play _my _Pot of Avarice!" he shouted as he played it.

He quickly took Scrap Goblin, Scrap Dragon, Scrap Orthros, Scrap Hunter, and Scrap Archfiend from his Graveyard slot. He reshuffled his deck, and made two draws.

He was _very _surprised at what he drew. One card was Scrap Chimera, a common enough card. The other…

_I can't believe I drew Scrap Prison! _he thought. _I've never used this before!_

He quickly put it aside, and then threw Scrap Chimera on his Disk. The mythical Beast appeared in front of him. (1,700 ATK) Then it glowed with energy, and Scrap Beast appeared again. (1,600 ATK)

Then, once again, the two Beasts flew into the sky…

"_A spark of life ignites among trash and debris thrown on a pile of a dismal junkyard, a spark that grows into a white-hot flame! Rise from the refuse and show your might..."_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon... Scrap Dragon!"_

Silently, Scrap Dragon floated down, eyeing the Flying Dutchman with its glowing optic sensors. (2,800 ATK)

Dugan set a card in his Spell Zone. Then it shattered, and an explosion erupted in Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness's hull. More explosions started, and then the huge battleship sank under the waves.

"Curse you, Dugan!" screamed the Dutchman.

"I'm not done with you," said Dugan. "Attack Mermaid Knight! Toxic Blaze!"

Mermaid Knight screamed just before she was hit by Scrap Dragon's lethal breath.

"I activate… Damage Gate!" shouted the Dutchman.

His facedown card lifted up.

"Now I get to Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard, so long as its Attack Score is equal or less than the amount of damage I took."

Torpedo Fish appeared in front of him. (1,000 DEF)

"In that case…" said Dugan, "I end my turn…"

**(D: 2,600) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 6,000)**

The Dutchman made a draw.

"I play the Spell Card, Big Wave Small Wave," he said, throwing a Spell Card into his Disk.

"I destroy all my Water Monsters on the field…"

Torpedo Fish shattered.

"…and summon an equal number from my hand…

"So here comes my big surprise…"

A huge shadow fell across the beach…

"I summon the White Night Dragon!"

Dugan stepped back in shock as a huge Dragon that appeared to be sculpted completely out of ice hovered in the air in front of him. Its eyes were glowing orbs of pure cold. (3,000 ATK)

"In the name of all that's unholy…" said Dugan. "Where did you get…"

He stopped in mid-sentence.

"What am I saying? I'm still trying to figure out where Dark Gaia came from…"

"This Monster means trouble for you," said the Dutchman, "because Spells and Traps don't work on it.

"Now attack his Scrap Dragon! Absolute zero blast!"

The frigid Dragon blasted a bolt of pure cold, and Scrap Dragon froze solid. Then it simply fell apart, falling into frozen pieces of metal.

Dugan pointed, and Scrap Chimera appeared on the field. (1,700 ATK)

"You think that scares me?" asked the Dutchman.

He played a Spell Card.

"Next, I play Greed Grado," he said.

The Pot of Greed appeared beside him, with stars rotating it like electrons around a nucleus.

"Since I destroyed your Synchro Monster this turn, I get to draw two cards."

He made two draws.

"Then I'll play Fragment of Greed."

He played a card, and a Continuous Spell Card appeared in front of him.

"We'll get to that later," he said. "It's your move…"

**(D: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 6,000)**

"And it's time for something completely different," said Dugan.

He drew a card.

"You're just as ruthless and powerful as you were before… So you've forced me to use the card that I was saving for a special occasion."

He opened the Field Slot on his Disk.

"I activate the Field Spell, Scrap Prison!"

As he played the card, a dark, cavernous structure rose around the two duelists. They were standing on a catwalk surrounded by huge winches, pulleys, and chains. Vats of molten metal were underneath, pouring their contents into large molds on huge conveyor belts.

"This is a prison?" asked the Dutchman. "It looks more like a factory."

"The prisoner it was built to hold can only be held in a factory," replied Dugan. "Also, special jailers are required.

"I'm summoning one of them right now… Scrap Chimera is one of three Monsters that, when Scrap Factory is in play, I can sacrifice to Special Summon the Scrap Minotaur from my Extra Deck."

Scrap Chimera vanished and a huge, lumbering Beast-Warrior appeared in its place. Unlike most Scraps, its body was flesh rather than metal, resembling a classic minotaur covered with shaggy fur. However, its armor was made of the same makeshift parts and junk that all Scraps were made of. It held a large battle-axe in both hands. (2,300 ATK)

"Humph…" scoffed the Dutchman. "As if. My Dragon is 700 points stronger.

Dugan smiled.

"Oh, is he?" he asked. "Scrap Minotaur has a special effect… When it attacks a Monster that was Special Summoned, that Monster's Attack Score is cut in half."

"Say what?" said dark fey.

"Attack White Night Dragon!" shouted Dugan. "Axe Slammer!"

Scrap Minotaur lifted its axe high, and the Dragon bellowed as its Attack Score plummeted to 1,500. Then the Beast-Warrior slammed its weapon to the ground, sending a shockwave across the catwalk. White Night Dragon was blasted into shards of ice.

"Ugh…" said the pirate.

**(D: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 5,200)**

"It's your move…" said Dugan.

The Dutchman growled, and made a draw.

"I summon Deep Sea Diva," he said.

He played the card, and a mermaid in a blouse with a pink fishtail appeared in front of him. (200 ATK)

"By doing that, I can Special Summon Mermaid Archer from my deck."

Yet another mermaid appeared, this one holding a crossbow and riding on the back of a sea turtle. (1,200 ATK)

Then he played a Spell Card.

"Next, my Double Summon Spell Card," he continued. "And I'll use my second Normal Summon to sacrifice Deep Sea Diva…"

The first mermaid turned into an orb of water.

"…for Divine Dragon Aquabizarre."

The orb burst, and a large Sea Serpent resembling a giant eel with no eyes appeared in front of him. (2,100 ATK)

"And as for the other one," he continued, "I use Aquabizarre's effect. By sacrificing a Water Monster, I can take a Field Spell from my Graveyard, and place it on top of my deck."

Mermaid Archer vanished, and A Legendary Ocean slipped out of his discard slot, and he slid it on the top of his deck.

"Next round, this Field Spell of yours is going the way of the _Titanic."_

Dugan looked at the Fragment of Greed card.

_He's putting all his chips in one pile, _thought Dugan. _But then again, so am I…_

"My move…" said Dugan, making a draw.

"And once again, I summon Scrap Hunter!" he exclaimed.

The squat robot rolled onto the field once again. (1,600 ATK)

"And Scrap Hunter is one of three Monsters that, when Scrap Prison is in play, I can sacrifice to Special Summon its _other _jailer."

Scrap Hunter vanished.

"I summon Scrap Hulker!"

Again, the Monster that appeared was more flesh than metal, its armor being what was made of scrap metal. It was a muscular, hulking ogre, broad, bearded, and pebbly-skinned. In addition to its piecemeal armor, it wore two iron knuckle dusters over its hands, like brass knuckles. (2,400 ATK)

"This guy can't attack directly…" said Dugan, "but when it attacks a Monster, boy does it hurt! You see, the damage it dishes out when it clobbers a Monster is doubled!"

Scrap Hulker snarled, and socked Divine Dragon Aquabizarre upside the head. The Sea Serpent collapsed to the ground, and then shattered.

"But my Scrap Minotaur can attack directly…" said Dugan.

Scrap Minotaur slammed its axe into the ground again, and this time, the shock wave hit the Flying Dutchman. He cursed in elven.

**(D: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 2,300)**

"Okay, Dugan…" snarled the pirate. "You're no fun anymore… You hurt me… But I'll get the last laugh…"

"We'll see…" said Dugan. "It's your move…"

The Dutchman made a draw.

"First, I use the effect of Fragment of Greed," he said. "Because I had two Draw Phases since I played it, I can send it to the Graveyard to draw two cards."

The Continuous Spell vanished, and he made two draws.

"Excellent…" he said with a grin, as he looked at them.

"Now, once again, I play A Legendary Ocean! I'd abandon ship if I were you…"

The walls of Scrap Prison crumbled, and the Ocean Field rose around them again…

However, what happened was a surprise even to The Dutchman. Both of Dugan's Monsters shattered.

"Huh?" said the Dutchman. "Why did that happen?"

"Because when Scrap Prison is destroyed," said Dugan, "it activates its true effect, and all my Monsters are destroyed."

The Flying Dutchman laughed out loud.

"That has to be the _stupidest _Field Spell effect I have _ever _heard of!" he laughed.

He threw a card on his Disk.

"I summon Codarus!"

A much smaller Sea Serpent, resembling an infant form of Levia-Dragon Daedalus, appeared on the field. (1,400 ATK) –) (1,600 ATK)

"I could have used this guy's effect to get rid of your two Monsters," he chuckled, "but seems I don't have to bother…

"Attack Major Dugan directly!"

Dugan barely moved as the small, vicious Sea Serpent lunged at him and bit him on the arm.

**(D: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 2,300)**

The Dutchman chuckled again, and set his last card in his Disk. It appeared facedown.

"That should do it…" he said. "I end my…"

He looked at Dugan.

"…turn…"

Then he stopped laughing.

"You're about to lose, and you don't seem the least bit worried…" he said. "That Field Spell of yours… It did something else, didn't it?"

Dugan grinned. He nodded as he made a draw.

Then there was an explosion of flames, the roar of engines, and a cloud of hot steam as a huge Machine appeared on Dugan's side of the field. It was a ten-foot-tall, vaguely humanoid conglomeration of iron, clockworks, armor, and blades. The whole thing appeared unbalanced and unwieldy, with too many sharp edges. Its right hand was a drill bit, and its left was a large rotary saw.

"That…" said the Dutchman, nervously. "That was what the Scrap Prison was meant to hold, right?"

"Bingo," said Dugan. "It's called a Scrap Anaxim.

"You see, even gods of the forge sometimes make mistakes. Even they occasionally throw their failed creations onto scrap piles. And just like all my other Scraps, these thrown away and cast-off parts sometimes pull themselves together and develop a mind of their own.

"The difference is, in this case, the result has a divine spark, and becomes incredibly dangerous, seeking revenge for being thrown on the scrapheap by its perfectionist creator. Like all mistakes of the gods, an Anaxim is usually locked away securely in some hidden jail.

"Only fools disturb things that the gods have hidden away…

"As far as Attack and Defense Points go, we combine the Attack Points of the two jailers, who were destroyed along with Scrap Prison…"

(4,700 ATK)

"And now, I use Scrap Anaxim's effect…"

He discarded Foolish Burial from his hand.

"By tossing one card, it can obliterate one card on the field every round."

Scrap Anaxim blasted a bolt of electromagnetic energy at the facedown card, which turned out to be Mirror Force. It was blown to atoms.

"Now to finish this duel!" shouted Dugan.

Scrap Anaxim's rotary saw started spinning.

"Attack with Rage of the Abomination!"

Moving with uncanny speed for something so big, the mechanical beast charged the much smaller Sea Serpent. The Flying Dutchman screamed as a swipe from the blade cut the sea Monster in two…

**(D: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (FD: 0)**

Dugan stopped to catch his breath.

The Flying Dutchman was gone. Then his uniform was replaced by his normal clothing, and his blunderbuss reappeared.

A portal appeared in front of him.

_It seems I've passed the test… _he said.

He looked around.

_Who was that guy? A demon in the shape of the Flying Dutchman? Something from my dark memories come to life?_

He sighed.

_I guess I'll never know… Still, as Leorin could certainly tell you… You can't change the past… But you can certainly learn from it._

He walked forward, and stepped through the portal.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SKILL TWIST**** (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Two video game sprites, one looking sad and surrounded by a fiery aura, the other looking excited and surrounded by an electric aura. A green arrow points to the excited one.

**Card Description: **Activate when a face-up Monster on the field is targeted by the effect of an Effect Monster. Switch the Effect Monster's target to another appropriate face-up Monster you control.

_Note: "Skill Twist" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's episode "Clash at Crash Town (Part 2)" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SCRAP PRISON (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image: **Marauding Captain and Warrior Lady of the Wasteland wandering through a huge factory full of casting vats and molds on conveyor belts, with Scrap Beast and Scrap Orthros watching them from the shadows.

**Card Description:** If this card is destroyed, destroy all Monsters controlled by the controller of this card. If a player controls a "Scrap Minotaur" and/or a "Scrap Hulker" and they are destroyed by this effect, he or she may Special Summon 1 "Scrap Anaxim" from his or her Extra Deck during his or her next Standby Phase.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SCRAP MINOTAUR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description:** This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by Tributing 1 "Scrap Beast", "Scrap Chimera", or "Scrap Orthros" you control while you control a face-up "Scrap Prison". You can only control 1 "Scrap Minotaur". When this card attacks a Monster that was Special Summoned, reduce the ATK of the attack target by half during the Damage Step only.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SCRAP HULKER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by Tributing 1 "Scrap Hunter", "Scrap Solider", or "Scrap Breaker" you control while you control a face-up "Scrap Prison". You can only control 1 "Scrap Hulker". This card cannot attack your opponent directly. Battle Damage inflicted by this card is doubled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SCRAP ANAXIM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Machine/Fusion/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** ?  
**DEF:** ?

**Card Description: **This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck via the effect of "Scrap Prison". The ATK and DEF of this card are both equal to the combined ATKs of all "Scrap" Fusion Monsters that were destroyed when "Scrap Prison" was destroyed. Once per turn, you can discard 1 card from your hand to destroy 1 card on the field.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Nichole: Marc… You tutored me, cared for me, comforted me… You gave me hope in a place where most people had none…**_

_**But who comforts the comforter? To make sure I made the right decisions, you made the wrong ones, and for seven years, you've been paying the price. **_

_**I never dreamed I'd see Sven again… He said he was sorry for what happened to Marc, but I saw through his lies… I so much wanted to take him down personally when we raided the Blue Serpents' headquarters, but Dugan wouldn't allow it. And I suppose Dugan's judgment was sound. **_

_**Now, in this dimensional limbo, where I'm trapped between what was and what might have been, I'm face to ugly face with all six-foot-ten of him. Seems I'm going to have that chance after all…**_

_**And I've got a secret weapon… I might even enjoy this…**_

"_**The Gift; The Dark Queen" is coming soon. **_


	52. The Gift, The Dark Queen

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-TWO**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Gift**

**The Dark Queen**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Right before Dugan had met the Flying Dutchman, Nichole was wandering through the same uncanny darkness.

She had never been _truly _afraid of the dark, but she knew that the dark could sometimes be dangerous. The dark could hide dangerous things that could hurt you. That was likely why mankind had always feared the dark when their race was young…

She remembered when she was a child when the landlord who owned their building shut off the power, either because someone hadn't paid their bills, or because _he _hadn't paid _his. _Without lights, the inner city apartment could be scary. Marc would hold her close to keep away the dark…

As she thought these things, the lights went on. Old fashioned overhead industrial-sized lamps.

She was in a large, empty warehouse. Here and there were beer and soda cans, cigarette butts, and other trash strewn around the place…

In the center of the large area was a large wrestling ring… It was in disrepair, and had seen much use...

Nichole shuddered. She knew all about that ring. The Blue Serpents used it whenever a fight was needed. To induct new members into their gang, to punish members who had screwed up, or just to entertain. The Blue Serpents needed very little excuse to fight each other when there weren't any rival gangs to fight.

"The old headquarters of the Blue Serpents…" she muttered. "Seems all that's left is garbage and dust…"

Then she noticed that her sword was gone. So was most of her other equipment. Her Duel Disk remained on her arm, but little else.

"Well, well, well," said a voice behind her. "If it ain't Joan of Arc."

Nichole felt her temper rising to a boil. It seemed that the slimiest Serpent was still here.

She turned around, and looked _up _at the face of a man who towered over her, who was almost as wide as she was tall. Sven was six-foot-ten and four-hundred and fifty pounds of solid muscle. His grey skin and red hair (tied in a ponytail) betrayed his half-giant heritage, and he wore a tank top and jeans with blue sneakers (clearly all of which had been custom-made). He had a large tattoo of a blue dragon on his right arm, the tattoo that all members of the Blue Serpents had. Even Marc still had the tattoo, and she doubted that even Jalal would allow his organization's health insurance to pay for its removal when he was released.

Most young women in Nichole's position at this moment would have been scared to death. But she felt no fear as she looked at the hulking leader of the Blue Serpents… Only anger…

"You…" she said, with a voice full of bile.

"How I missed that face…" said Sven.

"I sure didn't miss yours…" replied Nichole.

She knew, on some instinctual level, that this couldn't possibly be the real Sven; he wouldn't be getting out of jail for a long time. But if this dimensional limbo had created him from her bad memories, she also knew that it might as well be him.

She glared at him with fire in her eyes.

"I wasn't allowed to visit Marc until I was eighteen," she hissed. "Prisons have rules about minors being let in to see the inmates. All because of you… All you considered him was an expendable pawn…"

Sven shrugged.

"Hey, when you grow up on skid row, you gotta answer when opportunity knocks," he said. "Vance offered me a job as his lieutenant, and then put me in charge of running the Blue Serpents. I got more out of it than any half-giant living on the South Side would have gotten…"

"Just how many half-giants _are _there living on the South Side?" asked Nichole.

"Heck, I probably got more than any half-giant in the _world!" _said Sven. "Among giant clans, half-giants are about one rung higher on the social ladder than slaves. Being among humans is just as bad. They don't fit in among Mundanes, and they aren't trusted by Awares.

"Being among other Shadows is worst of all. Dwarves see us and they remember how many of their kind have been enslaved by fire giants. Elves and fey see us, and they remember how many frost giant cookbooks have recipes for ragout of dryad and pixie potpie.

"Haven't you ever read _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?"_

"Who hasn't?" asked Nichole.

"Well, you saw how humiliated Hagrid was in that book when people found out he was a half-giant," said Sven. "The only reason folks were willing to overlook it was because he was such a nice guy."

"Which you definitely aren't," added Nichole.

"I even got more than my stupid father got!" shouted Sven. "And he was a true giant. Know what happened to my dad? He mouthed off to a mountain giant who smashed him as flat as a pancake."

Sven punctuated the sentence by hitting his right hand with his left fist. Nichole gulped. Mountain giants were the rarest and largest of the giant races. Very few non-giants had seen them, but they supposedly resembled titanic hill giants that were anywhere from forty to sixty feet tall, huge even by giant standards. Most biologists assumed that, like dragons, they could eat anything, including inorganic material, as it was difficult to imagine how a Shadowkind so big could find enough food to feed itself without disrupting the ecosystem.

"Marc was nothing but a follower," said Sven. "And he was pretty stupid too."

"Stupid?" shouted Nichole. "I'll have you know that he's working as a tutor in the prison library. He's teaching illiterate inmates how to read. That's one of the reasons why he's going to be getting out."

"Well how hard can that be?" said Sven with a smirk. "I could still make or break him."

"You think that _Marc _was a follower?" said Nichole. "You were little more than a trained dog, doing whatever Vance said. If he'd told you to jump of a thirty-story building, you'd ask whether he wanted a free dive or a gainer."

Sven looked at her hard. Apparently, that one had gone a little too far.

"Well…" he said. "Running the Blue Serpents was fun. I got to do things like _this."_

He effortlessly gave Nichole a shove, and she fell backwards on her behind.

"You always were a bully, Sven…" she growled.

As she sat up, she noticed that the pouch containing her side deck had opened, and a card had fallen out. She picked it up.

Then her eyes opened wide. She had almost forgotten about this card…

_Marc… _she thought, as she looked at it.

She had so much wanted to confront Sven herself when she and the other two Shadowchasers raided the Blue Serpents headquarters. And she wanted this card to be the weapon that she took him down with…

But Dugan had shot down that idea, saying that it was too dangerous for an apprentice and that it would jeopardize the mission. Still, ever since then, Nichole had carried this card with her in her Side Deck, keeping it as a symbol of something dear to her…

"Interesting card there, princess?" said Sven. "Face it, you've wanted to throw down with me ever since you and your two pals broke up the gang…"

He chuckled, and a large Duel Disk appeared on his arm. It was a large, bulky, black and grey model with amber gems.

"I'll duel you…" he said. "But if I win…"

"You get to have your way with me, right?" asked Nichole.

She had known that Sven had often made that wager with female members of the Serpents who had made him angry. Marc had told her about it, mostly in his letters from prison. Sven had claimed that he would never force himself upon a woman, and in his sick mind, he thought that such a wager would it make it look like he had given them a fair chance.

Nichole fit the card into her deck, and hit the auto-shuffler. Then she stood up, and the Disk activated.

"I see you've accepted my challenge," said Sven with a grin.

Then his face turned serious.

"One more condition," he said. "This is still my turf, so we use my rules. Pulling the Rug and Mask of Restrict are off-limits. You use either, you forfeit this duel."

"I kinda expected that," said Nichole. "Fine by me…"

Sven grinned again.

"I'll try to make this as painless as possible…" he said. "Heh, heh…"

**(Nichole: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Sven: 8,000)**

"Age before beauty, princess," said Sven.

He drew his first card.

"I'm goin' first…"

He looked over his hand.

He fit two cards into the Disk, and a facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

"Now I play… Foolish Burial," he said.

He played the Spell Card, and then discarded Granmarg the Rock Monarch.

_Ditching one of his Monarchs? _thought Nichole. _Why?_

He opened the Field Slot on his Disk.

"I activate Tomb of the Elemental Imperium!" he shouted.

Nichole stepped back in shock as the warehouse around her melted away, and a large, underground burial chamber surrounded them. There were four banners to each side of them with a stone statue below each one. Each of these eight banners seemed to represent one of the Attributes of Duel Monsters (with two each for Light and Dark) and there was a statue below each of them.

"All I need to keep this Field Spell in play," he said, "is make sure that a Monarch is in my Graveyard. That's why I sent Granmarg there. We'll get to what it does later.

"That… oughta do it…"

Nichole looked around at the spooky tomb, wondering what it did. But she looked more closely at the hidden Monster as she made a draw.

_It's most likely a Monster that will Special Summon another Monster when I destroy it, _she thought, _giving him a sacrifice for one of his Monarchs…_

_I have to avoid that at all costs…_

"I summon Amazoness Trainee!" she shouted.

With a shout, the young Amazon in a zebra skin leapt onto the field, swinging her spiked chain. (1,500 ATK)

"Sorry to ruin your plans, Sven," she said, "but when Trainee smashes your Monster, she'll send it to the bottom of your deck instead of the Graveyard!

"Attack!"

Trainee rushed at the hidden Monster. A winged cherub holding a bow and arrow appeared on the card.

"Skelengel?" asked Nichole.

"Yes," said Sven. "And its Flip-Effect still happens, even though it didn't go to the Graveyard.

He drew a card.

"I'll set one card facedown," said Nichole, as a facedown card appeared behind Trainee, "and I end my turn…"

Sven made a draw.

"Of course," he said, "you, like many people, likely think that my mind is as weak my body is strong… Well, let me show you just how wrong that assumption is…"

"The effects of this Field Spell are dramatic… I get to conjure up a Spirit of the Elemental Imperium Token every one of my Standby Phases."

A small Monster appeared in front of him. It looked like a Monarch, wearing golden armor, but it was only four feet tall. (500 ATK)

"And now, I sacrifice it…"

The Token vanished.

"…for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!"

A twelve-foot tall giant dressed in white armor with a golden discus on his back, with an electric globe for a cranium, appeared in its place. (2,400 ATK)

"What's more," he continued, "the Field Spell also increases a Monarch's Attack Score by 600 points!"

(3,000 ATK)

"No fair!" screamed Nichole.

"Blame the card designer!" laughed Sven. "Now I activate his effect. Too bad for your Amazon…"

Zaborg reached for Trainee. She screamed as electricity shot through her body, and then she was blown into pixels.

"No…" said Nichole.

"Now, Zaborg attacks you directly!" shouted Sven.

The Thunder Monarch formed a ball of crackling lightning in its hands…

"I activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Nichole, as her facedown card shot up.

"I think not…" said Sven.

His facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Dark Bribe. You get one draw, but your Trap Card is no more."

Nichole sighed as the Trap shattered. She drew a card. Then she screamed as Zaborg's blast plowed into her.

**(N: 5,000) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 8,000)**

"I next play Fragment of Greed," continued Sven, as the same Continuous Spell that the Flying Dutchman had used appeared in front of him.

"It's your move…"

Nichole drew a card.

She threw a card on her Disk, and Amazoness Fighter appeared in front of her. (1,500 ATK)

"Now there's a woman I can relate to," said Sven.

Nichole frowned, and threw another card into her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"Make your move…" she said.

"I draw…" said Sven.

"And I use the effect of my Field Spell again," he said.

Another Spirit of the Elemental Imperium Token appeared. (500 ATK)

"Now I'll sacrifice it…"

The second Token vanished.

"…for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch!"

A giant just as big as Zaborg appeared, this one wearing Japanese-style plate armor with fire shrouding its hands. (2,400 ATK) –) (3,000 ATK)

"This Monarch doesn't destroy a Monster on the field," continued Sven, "it destroys a card in your hand."

Thestalos threw a small fireball, and it struck the Amazoness Chain Master in Nichole's hand, setting it on fire.

"Yee-ouch!" she shouted, as she dropped it. "Hot, hot, hot!"

"It's about to get hotter," said Sven. "And because Chain Master is a Level 4 Monster, you lose 400 Life Points.

"Now, Zaborg, attack her Fighter! Rolling Thunder!"

Zaborg blasted his wave of lightning, and Fighter was incinerated.

"Thestalos, attack…"

"I activate… Pride of Tribe!" shouted Nichole, as her facedown card lifted up.

Amazoness Swords Woman appeared where Fighter had been. (1,500 ATK)

"Well, in that case…" said Sven.

He threw a Quickplay Spell into his Disk.

"I activate Blazing Blade of Surtr. This lets my Monarch attack directly, so long as I cut its Attack Score in half."

A huge, flaming sword appeared in the Firestorm Monarch's hands, and his Attack Score fell to 1,500. Nichole screamed as it closed in on her and hit her hard. She fell to her knees.

**(N: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 8,000)**

"That's right, Nichole, on your knees," said Sven, as the sword vanished and Thestalos's score returned to 3,000. "I like a woman that way…"

He chuckled again.

"Your move…"

"I take back what I said, Sven…" said Nichole, quietly. "You aren't a dog…"

She got up.

"I should have called you a _pig."_

"Say WHAT?" shouted Sven.

"Of course, you always were a chauvinist…" muttered Nichole. "As nasty as Roxy was, I have to pity her… She never realized that all the male Serpents saw her as nothing more than something to play with.

"Hell, you always bragged to the Aware members of the gang about your dad, the mighty fire giant warrior, who you now tell me got smashed by a mountain giant who he mouthed off to. What happened to your _mother, _dare I ask? You never mentioned her once!"

She drew a card.

"So I guess I'm starting to realize what the whole 'turning point' actually was… It wasn't when the Shadowchasers toppled your gang… It was when I rejected you. You wanted me to believe that the Serpents' way of life was the path to easy street, but I knew otherwise.

"It's like what someone I know said recently… We all have to make a decision when we start down the road of life… Some folks choose the straight and narrow… It's the easy and safe route, but it leads to obscurity.

"Others, like me, choose the winding path… It's harder, and often more dangerous, but it leads to rewards, and those who choose it leave their mark upon the world.

"And then there are folks like you… They find roads that offer easy paths that promise to lead towards glory… But more often than not, they are nothing more than dead ends…"

"Who told you that?" asked Sven with a smug smile, as he crossed his arms. "That Chinese guy who lives on Crescent Avenue who always talks to his plants?"

Nichole a card on her Disk.

"I set a facedown," she said.

A facedown card appeared behind Amazoness Swords Woman.

"Then, I play the Field Spell, Amazoness Village," she said. "That gets rid of your easy way to summon Monarchs, by the way…"

Sven gasped in horror as his Tomb crumbled into dust. Both of his Monarchs fell to an Attack Score of 2,400. The rainforest village full of thatched huts rose up around them. Swords Woman's Attack Score rose to 1,700 ATK.

"I end my turn…" she said.

"Humph…" said Sven.

He drew a card.

"I've had two Draw Phases since I played Fragment of Greed," he said, "which means I can ditch it to draw two cards…"

He made two draws.

"I have other ways to summon Monarchs," he said. "Here's one of them… Jester Confit…"

The short, portly jester that the Mean Emcee had used appeared in front of him. (0 ATK)

"Because that was a Special Summon," he said, "I can sacrifice it…"

He played his last card, and the Jester turned into an orb of light.

"…for Kuraz the Light Monarch."

The orb of light burst, and a new giant appeared, dressed in golden armor, a cape, a full-head helmet, and a ring on its back. (2,400 ATK)

Nichole was a little surprised. This was one Monarch she had yet to see.

"This Monarch can't attack on the turn it's summoned… But it can destroy two cards on the field…"

Nichole sighed.

"Sorry…" she said, looking at Swords Woman.

"What are you talking about?" asked Sven. "She's perfectly safe…"

Then to Nichole's utter shock, both Zaborg and Thestalos shattered into pixels.

"You're probably wondering why I decided to trash my own cards," said Sven. "Well, because the cards that Kuraz destroyed were mine, I get to draw one card for each…"

He made two draws.

"Mmm…" he said. "Your move…"

"You made a mistake, pal…" said Nichole, as she drew a card.

"I sacrifice Swords Woman…"

Swords Woman dissolved into grains of light.

"…for Amazoness Queen!"

The Queen trod onto the field, glaring angrily at Sven and his huge Monarch. Kuraz may have been bigger, but she radiated just as much authority. (2,400 ATK) –) (2,600 ATK)

"And now that mistake is gonna cost you," said Nichole. "Attack his Light Monarch! Blade of Hippolyta!"

The Queen leapt at Kuraz, and with one slash of her scimitar, blasted the Light Monarch into pieces of broken gold.

"Make your move…" said Nichole.

**(N: 3,100) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,800)**

"You think I made a mistake?" asked Sven, as he made a draw. "You really think I did?

"Uh-uh… I was hoping you'd summon your Queen…

"I play the Spell Card, Call of Jotunhelm," he said, as he played a Spell Card.

"Jotunhelm is where the giants came from, you know. My dad always talked about it… It was the sort of place that giants dreamed of going to, where they once lived like kings, but could never find any more…

"You know how it is… The fire giant clans who live in Norway are certain that Jotunhelm is in Siberia… But if you ask the frost giants who live in Siberia, they're certain that it's in Scandinavia."

"If I remember my Norse mythology, it wasn't on Earth at all..." muttered Nichole.

"What?" asked Sven.

"Oh, never mind…" said Nichole.

"Anyway," continued Sven, "this spell lets me Special Summon a Monarch from my Graveyard, so long as I cut its Attack Score in half."

Thestalos appeared in front of him again. (1,200 ATK)

"And now I'll sacrifice him…"

Thestalos vanished.

"…for Raiza the Storm Monarch!"

A windstorm started over the Village, and another twelve-foot-tall Monarch appeared. This one had green, ribbed armor and a cape, and a head that vaguely resembled a bird's. (2,400 ATK)

"And its effect lets me blow one card back to the top of your deck," said Sven. "And I choose your Queen!"

The windstorm started up again, and Amazoness Queen struggled, only to be blown off her feet. She vanished into mist.

"I activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Nichole, as her facedown card lifted up.

Sven put his hand on his hip in disgust.

"In that case," he said, as he held up a card. "I'm getting rid of this Field Spell…

"Mystical Space Typhoon!"

A cyclone erupted around the Village, and the huts were blown to pieces. The rain forest faded away.

He set a card on his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"Make your draw…" said Sven. "Not like we both don't know what it's gonna be…"

Nichole drew a card, which, naturally, was Amazoness Queen.

_I'm being pounded, _she thought. _What will happen to me if I lose here?_ _Will what happened in the past really be undone? Will my present self be… erased?_

She set another card on her Disk, and a set Monster appeared.

She nodded.

"Humph…" said Sven, as he made a draw. "Seems you have more lives than a cat from Hell…

"No matter…"

His facedown card lifted up.

"I activate the Trap Card, Level Conversion Lab," he said. "This is kind of complicated, so listen carefully. I first have to show you a Monster in my hand.

"I think you may have heard of my ace card…

He flipped the card around, and Nichole looked at it. Delg the Dark Monarch? She had certainly heard about it, but had never seen it…

"Now, a die is going to roll," continued Sven. "If it comes up one, I have to toss this card. Any other number, and that's the Level of this Monster for the rest of the round."

A die flew out of the card, and it skipped and bounced. It came to a stop on the three.

"Not bad," said Sven. "That means I can summon it as a Level 3 Monster… Without a sacrifice."

Yet another Monarch appeared. This one was dressed in black plate armor and a dark cape, with a fiendish-looking helmet. (2,400 ATK)

_But it has to be Tribute Summoned to use its effect… _thought Nichole. _Doesn't it?_

"Like its Light counterpart, Delg cannot attack during the turn it is summoned," said Sven, "but what it can do, is use its effect no matter how it's summoned. And that effect is a powerful one…. it can remove two cards in your Graveyard from play…"

Nichole looked shocked as Swords Woman and Trainee fell out of her discard slot.

"…and _then _it can send two more cards from your deck to the Graveyard!"

Two cards flew off the top of Nichole's deck to the Graveyard pile.

"Now, Delg may not be able to attack… But Raiza sure can!

"Attack her Monster! Death Gale!"

Raiza lifted its cloak, and a blast of wind blew towards the Monster. Warrior Lady of the Wasteland appeared on the card, and shattered.

Nichole grinned, and a second Warrior Lady appeared in front of her. (1,100 ATK)

Sven growled.

"I end my turn…" he said with a snarl.

Nichole made a draw.

"So, Delg is your best card, eh?" she said.

Warrior Lady of the Wasteland dissolved into grains of light, and the Queen leapt onto the field again. (2,400 ATK)

"Guess what, Sven?" she said. "Since my Queen can't be destroyed by battle, she's just strong enough to topple your big, bad Monarchs!

"Attack! Destroy Delg the Dark Monarch!"

Amazoness Queen leapt at the sinister Spellcaster, and made three slashes with her sword, making three deep cuts. Delg shivered for a second, and then burst into pieces of broken metal.

"I end my turn…"

"You destroyed my ace card…" growled Sven.

He drew a card.

"No-one ever dared do that before…

"Nichole… Now I'm getting very _angry!"_

He threw a card into his Disk, and a Continuous Spell appeared behind Raiza, one that Nichole had never heard of.

"Imperial Powers?" she said, looking at it. "What does that do?"

"I'm only going to explain this once," said Sven. "First, I take one Monarch from my Graveyard…"

Zaborg slipped out of his discard slot.

"Then, I Equip it to a Monarch on the field like an Equip Spell."

Raiza's armor mutated, turning into an amalgamation of its actual armor and that of Zaborg.

"You wanted to know what Imperial Powers does? With Zaborg Equipped to Raiza, it has Zaborg's effect once per turn, so long as I discard a card."

"Where did you get all these cards?" asked Nichole.

"I told you that working for Vance had its benefits," said Sven. "So, I'll discard this to destroy your Amazoness Queen."

He discarded his last card, Samsara Kaiser, and lightning struck Amazoness Queen, obliterating her.

"You're next!" he shouted. "Attack directly! Lightning Tempest!"

Nichole screamed as a powerful surge of electricity shocked her from head to toe. She collapsed.

**(N: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,800)**

"Can't give up…" she moaned. "Can't let the bastard win…"

"_Let _me win?" laughed Sven. "Are you suggesting that I'm not capable of winning?

"Believe me, Nichole, I've beaten duelists far better than you…

"In fact, you're even better at this card game now than your brother ever was… The one time we dueled, he didn't even last this long. Like I said, he was stupid…"

Nichole glared at him. She quickly stood up.

"Wrong thing to say, buster…" she said.

She drew a card.

"I activate The Warrior Returning Alive," she said, as she played a Spell Card.

A card fell out of her discard slot, and she quickly took it. It was one of the cards he had sent to the Graveyard with Delg.

_Okay, secret weapon time! _she thought. _Let's just hope that Sven does what I think he does…_

"I throw a card facedown," she said, "and then summon another Amazoness Fighter."

Another of the muscular Amazons appeared (1,500 ATK), and a set card appeared behind her.

"I end my turn," she said.

"Humph," said Sven.

He made a draw.

"I play Imperial Tariff," he said. "You draw one card, I draw two… But I can't activate any of my cards this round except the ones that are already face-up."

Nichole made a draw, and Sven made two draws.

He looked at the two cards. Then he quickly discarded one of them, By Order of the Emperor.

"I'll get rid of this to destroy your Fighter!" he shouted.

Lightning started to course around Raiza.

"I activate… Dramatic Rescue!" shouted Nichole.

Fighter vanished, and her card reappeared in her hand.

"So Raiza's effect has no target."

Lightning struck, but it hit nothing.

"Then, I Special Summon a new Monster from my hand… However, while the rescued Monster had to be an Amazon… This one can be any Monster…"

The lights dimmed, and a powerful female Warrior leapt onto the field. She had ebony skin, long black hair, and eyes that were shimmery silver pools. She wore an armored halter and skirt, and a silver crown set with one white gemstone, along with a long, black cape that looked like the night sky. (2,600 ATK)

"What in the name of Ymir's beard?" gasped Sven. "That's Crescent Moon Queen! How'd you get a card that rare?"

"Marc gave it to me," replied Nichole.

"How'd HE get a card that rare?" demanded Sven.

"He won it at the Big Club," said Nichole. "You know, the high-stakes gangland poker tournament that was held at Hollywood Casino Aurora? You sent him to it as one of your representatives."

"Why that dirty…" said Sven. "He was supposed to give me first pick of anything he won! That card wasn't even included in what he showed me!

"And… And I even had them strip-searched…"

"AND 'Four Face' Freddy was there to make certain no-one pulled a fast one," added Nichole.

'Four Face' Freddy had probably been the most hated member of Vance's gang. He was a toadying lackey to Vance, and a master of disguise (sort of) whose job was to spy on other members of his gang – including the Blue Serpents – and report any disloyalty.

"Marc knew how thoroughly he'd be searched," said Nichole, "and he knew that Freddy was there. He always thought that Freddy's disguises were kind of pathetic. He knew you'd take that card, because he knew how greedy you were. But he wanted me to have it. And the card was out of your reach before Freddy even knew it was there.

"As soon as Marc won the pot that included the card, he hid it in a wad of cash so that Freddie wouldn't notice it right away. Now, you might remember that the casino's hotel where the tournament was being held didn't allow smoking in its convention halls. That was bad news for Freddy, who was a four-pack-a-day smoker. So, when he took a break to go smoke, Marc told the other Serpents that he was going to use the rest room. But he actually went to the hotel's gift shop.

"He bought a gift card, envelope included, and a stamp. He put this card in the gift card, put it in the envelope, stamped it, used the pen he always carried to address it to our apartment, and threw it into the hotel's outgoing mail. It took him only five minutes, and no-one, not even Freddy, was at all the wiser.

"Seems he wasn't as dumb as you thought he was."

Sven fit his last card on his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"I end my turn!" he shouted.

Nichole drew a card.

She looked at it hard.

"My Queen attacks your Storm Monarch!" she shouted. "Crescent Sword Slash!"

Crescent Moon Queen drew two crescent-shaped falchions, and made a rush at Raiza, with two slashes, the Storm Monarch shattered into pieces of green metal.

"And I'm not done with you," said Nichole, "because Crescent Moon Queen gets two attacks!"

Crescent Moon Queen rushed at Sven. He looked like he was about to activate his facedown card…

Then apparently he changed his mind, and stopped. The Queen hit him hard with her sword. Sven grunted and fell backwards, landing hard on the ground with a crash.

"That was for Marc," said Nichole with a sneer.

"Of course, now my Queen has to move to Defense Mode, because she attacked twice…"

The Queen sheathed her blades, and knelt down in a defensive position. (1,700 DEF)

She fit the card she had just drawn into her Disk, and it appeared facedown behind the Queen.

"Make your move…."

**(N: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 5,000)**

Sven drew a card.

"I activate… Pot of Avarice," he said.

He took Samsara Kaiser, Delg, Kuraz, Raiza, and Zaborg, and shuffled them into his deck. He made two draws.

He smirked.

"I Special Summon Gilasaurus," he said.

He threw the card on his Disk, and the small raptor appeared. (1,400 ATK)

"I also get to Special Summon a Monster," said Nichole. "I summon Amazoness Queen from my Graveyard!"

The Queen appeared, looking quite angry at Sven. (2,400 ATK)

Then Sven laughed. He laughed long and loud.

"I was hoping you'd do that…" he said with an evil grin.

His facedown card lifted up.

"I play Call of the Haunted to summon Thestalos from my Graveyard!"

In a flash of energy, Thestalos appeared again. (2,400 ATK)

"Big deal," said Nichole. "Him, I know for a fact you have to Tribute Summon to use his effect."

"But I have someone else…" said Sven, holding up his final card. "You see, Delg may have been my ace, but it wasn't my best card…

"Not even Marc knew about this guy… I only took him out for special occasions…

"And the only way to summon him is to remove another Monarch from play… So goodbye Thestalos…"

The Firestorm Monarch vanished, and a dark, creeping shadow started to form…

"…hello Nergal the Night Monarch!"

The creeping shadow gave way to total darkness. Nichole couldn't see the Monster clearly. All she could see was a large humanoid form in the darkness, with two glowing eyes peering out. (3,300 ATK)

"Is your Night Monarch going to show himself, or is he going to stay hidden in the dark?" asked Nichole.

"Legend has it that if you did see him, you'd die of fright," said Sven. "But you can see how many Attack Points he has. And he also can't be destroyed by card effects.

"Your Amazoness Queen might survive this attack… But with only 700 Life Points left… Well, do the math…

"Nergal… Attack with Dark Embrace…"

Then the darkness literally rushed at Amazoness Queen, like a dark hand reaching to grab her. Nergal's two glowing eyes looked at Nichole hungrily…

"You haven't beaten me yet!" shouted Nichole.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Amazoness Ambush!"

"Amazoness Ambush?" said Sven. "What does _that _do?

Nichole held up the Amazoness Fighter in her hand.

"It draws your attack away from my Queen," said Nichole, "and forces your Night Monarch to battle an Amazoness in my hand.

A phantom form of Fighter appeared on the field. (1,500 ATK)

"In your hand?" shouted Sven. "That doesn't make sense!"

The wave of darkness charged Fighter. She gasped, as she was slowly engulfed by it.

After a few seconds, she was gone.

Nichole sighed.

"The guy's father was twenty feet tall, and he says my Trap Card doesn't make sense…" she muttered.

"Anyway… Even though Fighter had to be in Attack Mode, her effect was still valid, and I took no damage."

"Well, now what?" asked Sven. "Just move, and hurry up."

_Now what? _asked Nichole. _Good question… I don't have anyone who can stand up to that guy…_

She drew a card.

_Then again…_

Crescent Moon Queen stood up. (2,600 ATK) She looked at Amazoness Queen and nodded. Amazoness Queen nodded back with a smile.

"What's going on?" asked Sven.

"I'll show you," said Nichole.

She played the card she had just drawn.

"I play Gift of the Martyr!" she shouted.

"I send Amazoness Queen to the Graveyard…"

Amazoness Queen dissolved into grains of light.

"…and her Attack Score is added to Crescent Moon Queen's!"

(5,000 ATK)

"Oh… shit…" said Sven.

The Dark Queen made a rush for those eyes. She struck with her sword, and an unholy scream filled the air…

The darkness fell apart, shattering like glass.

"She gets to attack twice, remember?" said Nichole.

"Crap!" shouted Sven. "Why didn't I summon Gilasaurus in Defense Mode?"

"Because the size of your ego matches the size of everything else about you," said Nichole. "Except your brain. You were so confident you'd beat me last turn, why _not _summon it in Attack Mode?"

The Queen made a swipe with the sword in her left hand, beheading Gilasaurus. Sven screamed.

**(N: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

Nichole was breathing heavily. Sweat was pouring down her brow.

Sven was gone. Whatever he had been, whether he had been a demon or some dark vestige, he had retreated back to whatever Hell he had come from.

Nichole almost wished it could have been the real Sven… But still, she felt a small bit of closure now…

She took the Crescent Moon Queen card off her Disk. She closed her eyes and sighed.

Then she returned it to her Side Deck.

She did a quick check. Her sword had been returned to the sheath on her back, and the rest of her equipment was on her belt.

_Well, I'm glad that's over, _she thought.

A portal opened in front of her. She took another deep breath, and walked through it.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CRESCENT MOON QUEEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 1,700

**Card Description:** This card can attack twice in the same Battle Phase. If this card attacks twice in the same Battle Phase, move it to face-up Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase.

_Note: "Crescent Moon Queen" first appeared in "City of Souls"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**NERGAL THE NIGHT MONARCH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,300  
**DEF:** 1,600

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by removing 1 Level 5 or higher "Monarch" Monster you control from play. This card cannot be destroyed by Spell Cards, Trap Cards, or the effects of Effect Monsters.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**CALL OF JOTUNHELM**** (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Mobius the Ice Monarch sitting on a throne surrounded by Ice Knights.

**Card Description: **Special Summon 1 "Monarch" Monster from your Graveyard. Reduce its ATK by half.

_Note: "Call of Jotunhelm" and "Nergal the Night Monarch" first appeared in "Dark Messiah"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**TOMB OF THE ELEMENTAL IMPERIUM**** (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image: **An underground burial chamber with eight banners, one with a symbol representing one of the eight Monarch monsters, hanging beneath a matching stone statue.

**Card Description: **Destroy this card if you do not have at least 1 "Monarch" Monster in your Graveyard. All face-up "Monarch" Monsters gain 600 ATK and DEF. The controller of this card can Special Summon a "'Spirit of the Elemental Imperium Token" (Warrior/Earth/Level 1/500ATK/500DEF) to his side of the field during each of his Standby Phases. "'Spirit of the Elemental Imperium Tokens" cannot be used for a Synchro Summon or a Tribute Summon for any Monster except a "Monarch" Monster.

_Note: "Tomb of the Elemental Imperium" was created by fanfic author Metal Overlord 2.0. Thanks for the suggestion!_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**IMPERIAL POWERS**** (Spell Card)**

**Continuous Spell**

**Image: **Zaborg the Thunder Monarch sitting on a throne issuing a command to Thunder Knight.

**Card Description: **Select one face-up Monster you control that is Level 6 or lower. Select 1 Level 6 or lower Monster in your Graveyard whose effect is activated when it is Tribute Summoned, and Equip it to the selected Monster as an Equip Spell Card. The selected Monster's effect(s) is negated. Once per turn, you may discard 1 card from your hand to use the effect that would activate when the Monster Equipped to the selected Monster would be Tribute Summoned as the effect of this card. If the selected Monster or the Monster Equipped to the selected Monster is removed from the field, destroy this card. If this card is removed from the field, destroy the selected Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**IMPERIAL TARIFF**** (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **Harpie's Brother handing a bag of gold to Raiza the Storm Monarch.

**Card Description: **You cannot Summon or set Monsters, activate Trap Cards, or activate other Spell Cards from your hand during the turn you use this card. You can only use this card if you control at least 1 face-up "Monarch" Monster on the field and have at least 3 "Monarch" Monsters in your Graveyard. You draw 2 cards, and your opponent draws 1 card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLAZING BLADE OF SURTR**** (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch holding a sword made of fire.

**Card Description: **Select 1 "Monarch" Monster you control. The selected Monster may attack directly with its ATK halved this turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AMAZONESS AMBUSH**** (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Similar to "Hidden Soldiers", except that the Warriors fighting the dragon and the ones hidden behind the ridge are all Amazons.

**Card Description: **Activate only when your opponent declares an attack. Select 1 "Amazoness" Monster in your hand. The battle is conducted as if the attacking Monster was attacking the selected Monster, with the selected Monster as the new target. The selected Monster is considered to be in Attack Position.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Karl: Sometimes fate throws you a curveball… And sometimes it gives you something that you pretty much have to see to believe.**_

_**That demon said I'd face an adversary that represents a turning point in my life… I'm here, and this duelist is not what I expected. She doesn't seem dangerous at all, and I'm wracking my brain trying to remember where I saw her before. **_

_**Being a fan of science fiction, I'm certain that any time now, the surprise twist is going to reveal itself, and the true danger of my situation is going to become apparent. Until then, the only thing I can do, I suppose, is duel. **_

"_**The Defining Duel; A Defined Duelist" is coming soon. **_


	53. The Defining Duel, A Defined Duelist

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-THREE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Defining Duel**

**A Defined Duelist**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Again, right before Dugan and Nichole had met the Dutchman and Sven, Karl was wandering through the same uncanny darkness.

Slowly, just as it had for them, the light slowly came back… But Karl entered a place that he certainly did not expect.

He was in a large high school gymnasium. It wasn't the one in the school that he had gone to, that was for sure.

He looked around. The place seemed clean and orderly, but there didn't seem to be a basketball game scheduled for today… No-one seemed to be here.

"Sal, can you find out where we are?" he asked.

No answer.

"Sal?" he asked.

Then he realized why she wasn't answering. She wasn't there. The gauntlet that defined her physical form was not on his arm.

Then he noticed, like Dugan and Nichole had noticed, that most of his other equipment was also gone. Only his Duel Disk and the clothes on his back remained.

"Well, this is certainly a problem…" he said.

"Hi, Karl!" said a cheery voice behind him.

Karl turned around quickly…

He looked with surprise at the young girl who had greeted him. She couldn't have been more than fourteen years old. Wearing a pair of jeans, a blouse, and a cowboy hat, the freckle-faced, pigtailed youngster had a broad smile. She also had a standard-issue Duel Disk on her arm.

"How ya doin'?" she said.

"Uh…" said Karl. "Do I know you?"

She chuckled a little.

"Sally," she said. "Sally Simmons. Come on, don't you remember?"

_This is the big, bad, guardian who represents a turning point in my life? _thought Karl. _She seems about as dangerous as Cool Whip! _

"Uh…" he said, scratching his head. "Come to think of it, the name rings a bell somewhere… But… Eh, I'm drawing a blank here…"

Sally giggled.

"Come on," she said. "Wanna duel?"

Karl sighed.

_It's probably the only way out of here… _he thought.

"Sure, sure…" he said.

He looked at her nervously.

_We're gonna duel, she's gonna turn into Linda Blair, _he thought. _Or something worse… I just know it…_

His Duel Disk activated, and Sally eagerly activated hers.

**(Karl: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Sally: 8,000)**

"Uhm…" said Karl. "Uh, why don't you go first?"

"Hot diggity!" laughed Sally, as she drew her sixth card.

She quickly chose one of her cards, and threw it on her Disk.

"I'll defend with this Monster," she said, as a set Monster appeared in front of her.

"Your turn…"

Karl nervously drew a card.

"I… uh… I summon Strategist of the Ice Barrier…" he said.

In an aura of frost, the robed sage appeared, holding his decorated fan. (1,600 ATK)

"Then I'll use his effect… I'll discard this Monster..."

He discarded Defender of the Ice Barrier.

"…to draw one card."

He made a draw.

"Now… I guess I'll attack. Go! Attack her Monster!"

Strategist spun his fan around. As he did so, a Monster appeared on Sally's card. It was a humanoid with rocky, lumpy skin, turning a fiery winch.

Strategist blasted a wave of frost, and the winch-turner shattered.

"That was Laval Miller!" gasped Karl.

"Uh huh!" said Sally, with a big grin. "And when he's destroyed by battle, I get to send two other Lavals from my deck to my Graveyard."

She quickly discarded a Laval Lancelot and a Laval Burner.

Karl was getting more nervous by the second. Where had he seen Sally before?

"I end my turn…" he said quickly.

"I draw!" said Sally, cheerily.

"And because I have at least three Lavals in my Graveyard," she continued, "and they have different names, I can Special Summon Laval Burner from my hand."

Another humanoid figure appeared, this one bigger than Laval Miller. It had the same rocky, lumpy hide, a ferocious-looking face, a mane of red hair, and wore iron gauntlets that burned with flames. (2,100 ATK)

"Next," she continued, "I summon Tender of the Laval Volcano."

She played the card, and a young, feminine figure appeared next to Laval Burner. She was dressed in what looked like a maid's outfit, except that it was made of iron. Her long hair was literally made of fire. (100 ATK)

"_Now_ I remember you, Sally!" gasped Karl. "You were my opponent in that tournament I entered when I was sixteen… The Laval duelist who beat me in the second round!

"This gymnasium was where it was held…"

"Oh, that was a long time ago!" laughed Sally. "You aren't a sore loser, are ya?"

_No… _thought Karl. _But that was the duel that made me start being afraid of Fire-Attribute Monsters… It was what rekindled my pyrophobia… What started making me nervous whenever I faced fire in duels…_

_How was _this _a turning point that defined my life? That duel didn't turn out in my favor at all!_

"Let's go!" laughed Sally. "I Tune together my Level 1 Tender of the Laval Volcano with my Level 5 Laval Burner…"

The two Lavals flew towards the ceiling, and turned into fiery points of light…

"_Let the flames ignite and give birth to a force of destruction that will erupt upon the world!"_

**(*1 + *5 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Laval the Greater!"_

A spout of flames and lava erupted in the center of the field, and a tall, intimidating Warrior stepped out. It was made of the same lumpy stone as Miller and Burner, but more muscular, and with an enlarged, hairless cranium. It was surrounded by an aura of flames that was so hot, it burned blue. (2,400 ATK)

"Laval the Greater…" muttered Karl. "I _definitely _remember him."

"Now I use the effect of Tender of the Laval Volcano," continued Sally. "Since she went to my Graveyard, and there are other Lavals there, I can send another Laval there from my deck."

She discarded a second Tender of the Laval Volcano.

"And hey, I'll use _that _Tender's effect too!"

She discarded third Tender.

"And why stop there?" she asked.

Using the third Tender's effect, she discarded a Laval Warrior.

"Of course, because I summoned Laval the Greater, I also have to toss a card from my hand…"

She discarded a Laval Cannoneer.

Karl, of course, realized the point of all this discarding. Lavals on the field tended to benefit from having Lavals in the Graveyard. That was their whole MO.

"Attack his Strategist!" shouted Sally. "Flaming Prominence!"

Strategist never had a chance. The wave of super-hot flames burned him to ashes before he could even react. Karl screamed…

**(K: 7,200) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 8,000)**

"Your turn, Karl," she said sweetly.

Karl's hand shook as he made a draw.

"I summon Geomancer of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

He played the card, and Geomancer appeared on the field. (800 ATK)

"Now, by discarding a card and naming Fire," he said, as he discarded a card, "your Fire Monsters can't attack her.

"I end my turn…"

He looked at the other four cards in his hand: Damage Polarizer, Blizzd, Defender of the Ice Barrier, Warlock of the Ice Barrier, and Limit Reverse.

_If Geomancer can stall long enough for me to draw a Level 4 Monster, _he thought, _I'll be able to summon Gungnir… _

"Okay, my draw," said Sally.

"Hmm… Okay, I'm gonna summon Kayenn, the Master Magma Blacksmith."

There was another burst of flame, and another fiery humanoid appeared in front of her. He had grey skin, had a Fu Manchu moustache, a short beard, and a bald head, and wore iron shorts. He held a hammer with a head made of burning hot stone. (1,200 ATK)

"I end my turn…" she said.

Karl made a draw.

Caravan of the Ice Barrier.

_Damn, _he said.

He took Blizzed from his hand.

"I'll set this in Defense Mode," he said, as it appeared facedown.

"And then I'll move Geomancer to Defense Mode too."

Geomancer knelt and crossed her arms over her chest. (1,200 DEF)

"Uh… It's your move…"

Sally giggled again as she made her draw.

"I summon Laval Coutl!" she laughed.

In another burst of flame, a very small creature that looked like a lizard with wings under its arms and a burning rock on its head appeared. (1,300 ATK)

"That's another Tuner, right?" said Karl, nervously.

"You got it!" laughed Sally, "and now I'm Tuning it with Kayenn…"

The two Fire Monsters flew towards the ceiling like the other two had before…

**(*2 + *3 = *5)**

"I Synchro Summon… Laval Twin Slayer!"

In another blast of flame, another fiery Warrior appeared. Its armor seemed to be made of volcanic stone, with a flared helmet, and blazing eyes. (2,400 ATK)

_Okay, this guy I don't know about… _thought Karl.

"Laval Twin Slayer has two effects," said Sally. "If I have two or more Lavals in my Graveyard, he can attack again after destroying a Monster. Three or more, and he can inflict damage by attacking a Monster in Defense Mode.

"I have ten right now…"

Karl gulped. He looked at Geomancer… Would her defense hold?

"I play Book of Moon!" exclaimed Sally, playing a Spell Card.

Karl gasped as Geomancer flipped into facedown position.

Clearly, the answer to his question was no.

"Now my Monster attacks!" cheered Sally, as she jumped up and down.

Laval Twin Slayer rushed at Geomancer, who briefly appeared on the card before she was slugged by a burning fist. Karl screamed in pain. Then the burning Warrior delivered another punch to Blizzed, and Karl screamed again. He almost forgot about Blizzed's effect.

Almost, that is. He painfully drew a card.

"Now, Laval the Greater attacks you directly!" exclaimed Sally. "Yay!"

The other Warrior formed a huge ball of fire in its hands. He hurled it at Karl, who screamed in agony and fell to his knees.

**(K: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 8,000)**

"Oh, come on, Karl…" said Sally. "You can take it, can't you?"

Karl didn't know if Sally could see it or not, but the fire was truly burning him. Welts and burns were forming on his arms, and his clothes were burnt and in tatters.

_This isn't just about my Life Points… _he thought. _This is about my life!_

_And she doesn't even seem to know… To her, this is just an ordinary duel… I mean, if she really wants to kill me and she's acting, she deserves an Oscar!_

_Clearly, this is Tharizdun's deranged mind at work…_

He slowly got up.

_What am I gonna do? _he thought. _What other flaming beast is she going to pull out next round? Not that she really needs a third one…_

He drew a card.

Then his eyes opened wide.

"I remove Blizzed from play to Special Summon Aqua Spirit!" he exclaimed.

He pocketed Blizzed's card, and the graceful nereid appeared. (1,600 ATK)

"Then," he said, as his facedown card lifted up, "Limit Reverse! I'll bring back Geomancer…"

There was a flash of light, and Geomancer reappeared. (800 ATK)

The two Water Monsters leapt up, and flew towards the ceiling.

"Now I'll make a Synchro Summon of my own…"

**(*3 + *4 = *7)**

"I summon Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"

There was a blast of arctic air, and Gungnir loomed over the field. Strangely, the cold air seemed to soothe the burns on Karl's arms… (2,500 ATK)

Karl looked at Gungnir strangely, as the Dragon looked back at him.

_I'll figure it out later, _he thought, as he chose two cards from his hand.

Then he stopped short.

_Wait! _he thought. _Laval the Greater's effect! I didn't know about it in the original duel with Sally… That's why I lost!_

He remembered it quite clearly… He had tried to destroy Laval the Greater with the effect of his Exiled Force, counting on his Sakuretsu Armor to protect him from whatever Sally summoned next. Unbeknownst to him, neither Exiled Force nor Sakuretsu Armor could kill Laval the Greater while there was a Laval in its controller's Graveyard.

A direct attack later, augmented by her Molten Whirlwind Wall, he had lost the duel. It was what had left him cowering in fear of Fire Monsters ever since…

_I know about it now… _he thought. _ If I try to destroy it with a card effect, she can remove a Laval in her Graveyard from play to negate that effect…_

He paused again.

_But I doubt Laval Twin Slayer has the same effect…_

He discarded Caravan of the Ice Barrier.

"I discard one card to use Gungnir's effect!" he shouted. "Destroy Laval Twin Slayer! Freezing Lance!"

Gungnir breathed a concentrated beam of pure cold at the fiery Warrior. He groaned as he iced over, and then shattered.

"Now Gungnir attacks Laval the Greater!" shouted Karl. "Polar Blast!"

Gungnir blasted a cone of frost at the flaming Laval, and its blue flames turned orange, and then red before going out completely. It shattered into shards of rock.

Karl took two cards from his hand, one of which was the card he had drawn with Blizzed's effect.

"I set two cards facedown, and end my turn," he said, as two facedown cards appeared. "That's all for my move…"

**(K: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,900)**

Sally made a draw.

"All right!" she said.

She made the "V for Victory" sign with her right hand. Then she played a Spell Card.

"I play Searing Fire Wall!" she laughed. "For each Laval that I remove from play…"

She pocketed Laval Miller and one Laval Burner.

"…I get a Laval Token!"

Two small imps made of fire popped up in front of her. (0 ATK x2)

"Now, I can sacrifice them…"

The two Tokens turned into a huge orb of fire…

"…to summon my favorite Monster! I summon the mighty, and very fashionable, Laval Judgment Lord!"

The flaming sphere burst, and another fiery Warrior stepped out onto the field. He was just as big as Laval the Greater, but looked even greater still, wearing armor that again looked like it was made of volcanic stone, but with the design of a nobleman's. He also wore a flowing red cape and a crown made of granite. (2,700 ATK)

"Not bad…" said Karl, nervously.

This was another Laval he didn't know about.

"Attack his Dragon!" laughed Sally. "Pyroclastic Wave!"

Laval Judgment Lord pointed at Gungnir, and his arm glowed white-hot…

"I activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Karl.

His facedown card lifted up, just as a searing bolt of super-intense plasma covered the whole field. The Shield held, but Karl still felt the heat.

"Hmm, I see…" said Sally, looking at Gungnir.

She played the last card in her hand.

"In that case," she said, "I Equip my Monster with Blazing Soul Shield. This Spell lasts for three of your turns, and if your try to destroy it or Judgment Lord with a card effect during that time, I can remove a Laval in my Graveyard from play to blow your card to itty-bitty pieces!"

"That's… Bad…" said Karl.

**(K: 4,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,900)**

Karl drew a card.

_Going to have to stall for a while… _he thought.

His other facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed. "I'll summon Defender of the Ice Barrier!"

A small dog with a blue necklace, tiara, anklets on its front legs, and a shock of blue fur on its tail leapt onto the field. (200 ATK/1,600 DEF)

"It may have a pathetic Attack Score," said Karl, "but its Defense Score is what counts. Since I have another Ice Barrier Monster on the field, like Gungnir, your Monsters can't attack unless their Attack Scores are lower than Defender's Defense Score.

"I'll set this facedown, and end my turn…"

He set one of his two remaining cards into his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

Sally giggled again as she made a draw.

"So who ever said that Laval Judgment Lord had to attack to hurt you?" she said.

"Eh?" said Karl.

Sally looked at the card she had drawn.

"He _doesn't, _you know," she said. "I simply have to remove another Laval from play…"

Laval Coutl slipped out of her discard slot.

"And wham!"

Laval Judgment Lord hurled a ball of fire, hitting Karl and knocking him over.

"You get slammed for 1,000 points of damage! And I can do that every round."

Sally giggled again, and set the card she had drawn on her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

"Go ahead, Karl," she said.

**(K: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 7,900)**

Karl made a draw.

As he looked at the card, suddenly, he felt more confident in his chances of succeeding.

"I summon Warlock of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

In a flash of light, the male sorcerer dressed in blue, holding a wand appeared. (400 ATK)

He took the last card in his hand.

"Then I play… De-Synchro!" he exclaimed.

The Spell Card appeared, and Gungnir vanished. Aqua Spirit appeared first (1,600 ATK) and then Geomancer. (800 ATK)

Karl took the card out of the chamber on his Disk that contained his Extra Deck.

_All of a sudden, _he thought, as he looked at the card, _this is all starting to make sense…_

Geomancer, Warlock, and Defender all dissolved into shining motes of light…

"_The chilling power of the frozen North will reverberate through these creatures, and bring forth the true ruler of the Ice Barrier!_

"_The Pulse of the arctic lands awakens…"_

**(*3 + *3 + *3 = *9)**

"_Synchro Summon… Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

Trishula rose onto the field, but not with any fanfare or show. He was much quieter than he usually was.

He turned, and looked at Karl, and Karl finally understood…

_The first duel with Sally made me afraid of Fire Monsters… _he thought. _But it was what made me decide to build a deck out of Ice Barrier Monsters… Creatures of cold that could soothe the burns. _

_Ever since then, the natives of the Ice Barrier have stood beside me… They've defined me as a duelist…_

_That's why this is a turning point… Fate moves in mysterious ways sometimes… As much trouble as the duel with Sally caused me the first time, it actually helped me a great deal in the long run…_

"I use the effect of Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, to remove Laval Judgment Lord from play!" he shouted.

Laval Judgment Lord vanished into nothing, and Blazing Soul Shield shattered.

"You have no cards in your hand," he continued, "but I can still use his effect to remove Laval Twin Slayer in your Graveyard from play."

Sally gasped as the Synchro fell out of her discard slot.

"Now, Aqua Spirit attacks you directly!"

Sally shrieked as Aqua Spirit blasted a bolt of cold water, hitting her squarely.

"And I'm not done," said Karl. "Trishula… Attack Directly with Freezing Pulse of the Ice Barrier!"

The great Dragon roared, and blasted three beams of pure cold from its three mouths, knocking Sally backwards and off her feet.

**(K: 3,400) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 3,600)**

She slowly got to her feet, still smiling slightly.

"Brr…" she said. "Cold!"

"It's your move, Sally," said Karl. "And I think this is almost wrapped up."

Sally made a draw.

"You bet it is!" she laughed.

"I'm gonna play my Pot of Avarice, kay?"

She played the card, and took all three Tenders of the Laval Volcano, Laval the Greater, and Kayenn the Master Molten Blacksmith from her discard slot. She shuffled them into her deck and made two draws.

"I play The Warrior Returning Alive!" she cheered, as she played one of the two cards.

She took a card from her discard slot.

"Now, I can summon Laval Cannoneer!"

She played the card, and a bald, blue-skinned humanoid covered with cybernetics holding a large, glowing, energy cannon appeared in front of her. (1,600 ATK)

"By Normal Summoning this guy," she said, "I can bring back a Laval Monster that was removed from play!"

In a flash of fire, Laval Judgment Lord appeared again. (2,700 ATK)

"Now, he attacks your Aqua Spirit! Pyroclastic Wave!"

Laval Judgment Lord blasted its bolt of super-hot plasma again, and this time there was no stopping it. The elemental spirit was vaporized before she could even scream.

**(K: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 3,600)**

"Now I use my Trap Card!" laughed Sally, as she threw her hands up in joy.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I win!" she cheered. "Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai! I sacrifice Judgment Lord, and you get blasted for 2,700 points of damage!

"Yay!"

Judgment Lord turned into a ball of flames, and it rushed towards Karl…

Then Karl's facedown card lifted up… The smoke fire quickly dissipated.

"Huh?" said Sally. "I don't win?"

"Sorry, but no," replied Karl. "I activated Damage Polarizer… It negates the damage, and we both draw one card…"

They both made one draw.

Karl looked at the card. It was Magic Triangle of the Ice Barrier.

_This is no good, _he thought. _I'm going to need something better on my next turn…_

"I guess it's your move…" said Sally.

Karl made a draw.

"I summon Preacher of the Ice Barrier!" he exclaimed.

He threw the card on his Disk, and the bearded priest appeared. (1,000 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice him…"

Preacher turned into an orb of light.

"…to Special Summon the Monster I discarded when I used Geomancer's effect… General Gantala of the Ice Barrier!"

The muscular, bald, imposing general appeared. He turned to Trishula and nodded. (2,700 ATK)

"I'm over my fear of fire, Sally," said Karl. "Now, I don't know who sent you here...

"But I can't thank you enough for coming…

"Now it's time to end this! Gantala, attack Cannoneer with shattering strike!"

Gantala struck the Laval artillery with a mighty karate chop, and the Fire Warrior exploded into fiery debris.

Then Trishula blasted its three beams of frost, striking Sally directly. There was a scream…

…and then silence…

**(K: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (S: 0)**

Karl looked around. Sally was gone.

His burns had vanished. His clothes were all in one piece. It was as if the violent duel had never happened.

He would likely never know what exactly she had been, or what her true intentions were… But if Tharizdun's goal was to defeat him here, the plan had truly backfired.

Sal reappeared on his arm, and his sword appeared on his back.

"_I'm back, Karl," _said the computer. _"What happened?"_

"Nothing I couldn't handle," replied Karl.

A portal opened.

"In hope Dugan and Nichole are okay…"

"_You remember who they are," _replied Sal. _"They must still exist."_

Karl sighed in relief. It was good to have Sal back. She was always the voice of reason.

He walked through the portal…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

At exactly the same time, Dugan, Nichole, and Karl appeared in the observation room.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Dugan.

"Better than okay," said Nichole. "You might even say that I'm invigorated."

"Same here," said Karl.

"Good," said Dugan.

He turned towards the stairway going up. He lifted his blunderbuss.

"I hope you two are prepared for a fight," he said, "because I doubt we're going to take those three in without one."

Nichole and Karl drew their swords.

"Oh, you bet we are," said Nichole.

They started to walk up the stairs, towards the Tabernacle of Utter Darkness.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the Tabernacle, the three Doomdreamers had taken off the helmets. As already stated, no-one could wear one for long without getting a headache. It didn't really matter to them.

Tiberius and Lorelei were watching as Lareth prayed before the altar, chanting in Abyssal.

"Hamai…" he chanted. "Capardai… Somasai... Gomamai…"

"Yeah, yeah," said Dugan's voice, "singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day."

The three Doomdreamers spun around and saw the Shadowchasers, with Dugan pointing his blunderbuss at them.

"Nice robes," said Nichole.

"You should see the hats!" replied Lorelei.

"Quiet Lorelei!" snapped Tiberius. "I don't know how you three meddlers managed to get up here, but I assure you, you aren't leaving…"

Dugan aimed his blunderbuss at them.

"You three are accused of unlawful imprisonment," he said, "attempted murder, and use of vile magic, all done with malicious and sadistic intent. And those are only the charges that the three of us can personally confirm at this time. I can almost assure that there will be more to come.

"Therefore, I am enacting Clause Twenty-Seven of Article Two, Section Three of the Great Treaty…"

"Say what?" asked Lorelei. "Speak English!"

"The Fair Fight Clause no longer applies to you three," replied Dugan. "Now put your hands behind your heads. You're under arrest."

Tiberius looked at him nervously.

"Okay, I can tell you're angry…" said the Doomdreamer.

"Shut your trap, Tiberius," said Dugan. "One false move and you'll see just how angry."

Lareth laughed, and drew his long dagger.

"You don't have the guts, Dugan!" he laughed.

He took one step, and then Dugan opened fire, knocking Lareth backwards against the altar.

"Lareth?" said Karl. "Telling a former Marine that he 'doesn't have the guts' is _not _a good idea…"

"You three bastards just don't get it, do you?" said Dugan. "Well, that was the medium setting…"

He adjusted the blunderbuss with a loud click.

"This is high. This is ending right now. Dead or alive, the three of you are coming with us."

Lareth groaned and sat up.

"The _three _of us?" he said. "Oh no… You three don't realize there's a fourth member of our order here…"

Then, to Dugan's shock, three vine-like tentacles reached from the ceiling. They snatched Dugan's gun and Nichole and Karl's swords, pulling them out of reach.

"See?" said Tiberius. "The Tabernacle of Utter Darkness is as much a living thing as we are."

"How did you build this thing?" asked Karl.

"Well…" said Lareth. "Let's just say that if word got out how it was built, the Platonics would be pretty mad at us."

"And the ASPCA wouldn't be too happy either, to tell the truth," said Lorelei.

"And it's _hungry, _people," said Tiberius. "We aim to feed it when we perform the Ritual of Displacement at midnight tomorrow night…

"Actually, seeing as it's two in the morning, it's more like tonight now. Since you three escaped…"

_Think fast, Dugan, _thought Dugan.

"Hold up…" he said. "Sacrificial offerings? In that case, I demand to know exactly what the purpose of this 'Ritual of Displacement' is. You aren't even close to completing the Great Sigil, so it can't be the ritual to spring Tharizdun."

"Why should we tell you?" asked Lorelei.

"Now, now, Lorelei," said Tiberius, "perhaps they do have a right to know… Besides… Anyone outside the Order with the guts to barge in here and threaten us, much less speak the Dark One's true name inside one of his most sacred shrines deserves that much.

"Very well, Major Dugan… As you three have already found out, the Dark God's followers attempted the Ritual of the Great Sigil twelve-hundred years ago. But the plan was ruined when the Four Yokai Clans successfully brought down the hub, the one part of the Sigil that was irreplaceable.

"For this attempt, we are making sure that the same thing doesn't happen again, and are taking steps to form a defense which even the Shadowchasers will be unable to crack.

"You are perhaps familiar with the Darkfell?"

"Yeah…" said Dugan. "It's where the material to build this place came from."

"Yes," said Tiberius. "In the Darkfell, there exist many dark counterparts of many terrestrial cities, including Chicago. This… 'Dark Chicago', as we'll call it, is a sinister twin of the real Chicago, composed of horrific buildings and populated by demons.

"The Ritual of Displacement's goal is to switch the two of them. Cause Chicago and Dark Chicago to switch places."

"Whatever for?" asked Nichole.

"To defend this fortress, of course!" replied Lorelei. "It will be safe, positioned off the shore of Lake Michigan. And we'll have a horde of demons, brought here with Dark Chicago at our bidding! That half-dragon employer of yours can send an army here to stop us if he wants, but they'll only be food for the dark tide that will be here to greet them!"

"And there'll be nothing to prevent the Ritual of the Great Sigil when it is finally ready," added Lareth.

"You're insane…" said Karl, though his teeth. "The residents of Chicago will be shunted to the Darkfell with it, and the native creatures there…"

"It's sad, yes," said Tiberius, "but at least they'll be spared what happens when the Great Sigil is complete."

"This is madness..." said Nichole.

"In other words," said Karl, "it's a plan devised in the mind of Tharizdun…"

"This is pathetic…" said Dugan, with a look of disbelief. "Congratulations… You three have conceived a plan that will more than likely be mentioned alongside Little Bighorn and the Charge of the Light Brigade as one of the biggest failures in history. It would almost be funny if so many innocent lives weren't at stake."

"Pardon?" said Tiberius.

"You three are so utterly insane," said Dugan, "you don't realize how flawed your plan is! If this works, how the heck do you plan to _control _a ravenous horde of demons? Demonic armies have a reputation for being chaotic and hard to lead. Even demon lords have trouble controlling them."

Tiberius stopped short.

"Uhm…" he said.

"That's exactly the reason why they haven't won the eternal Blood War," added Nichole, "despite the fact that the demon armies outnumber the legions of Hell by twenty to one. If the demons ever managed to get organized, they would defeat and eradicate the _incredibly _organized devils in less than a day."

"There's more…" continued Dugan. "The veil that hides Shadowkind won't be able to conceal something _that _big. They may keep the Shadowchasers out, but what would you do when the U.S. Government sends the Army, Air Force, and Marines into Dark Chicago with tanks and stealth bombers after declaring your ritual an act of war?"

"Uh, Uly…" said Lorelei. "What _would_ we do if that happened?"

"Quiet…" said Tiberius.

"The President might even declare Chicago a complete loss," added Dugan, "and order your dark city and temple blown off the map with nuclear missiles. _That _would put an end to the Great Sigil in a hurry, now wouldn't it? What would you do then?"

"What _would _we do then?" shouted Lareth.

"I don't know!" shouted Tiberius. "I never considered any of this! I was following the plan exactly…"

He stopped short.

"…exactly how the Triad outlined it…"

"ENOUGH!" boomed a voice.

As the voice shouted that command, three tentacles reached from behind Dugan, Nichole, and Karl, and grabbed them by the waists. Before the three Doomdreamers could gloat, three more appeared and grabbed them as well.

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Tiberius.

"You tell me!" shouted Karl. "Seems the Tabernacle is taking issue with something someone said."

"The Tabernacle obeys us above all others, Mr. Hudson…" said the same voice.

A holographic screen started to appear…

"Oh… shit…" said Lorelei.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, Ben was wandering down an ominous, cavernous hallway.

His footsteps echoed as he walked down the wide stone corridor. A sense of despair seemed to hang in the air.

Then he saw them. Blocking his path were six stone statues of fat, grinning demons with glowing eyes, each one in front of the other.

He remembered Xane's words. He simply had to answer their questions.

He walked up to the first one.

"_Who are you?" _it said, in a telepathic voice.

"Leorin," he answered.

The statue's eyes stopped glowing. It slowly moved aside to let him pass.

He walked up to the second one.

"_What do you bring before me?" _it said.

Leorin looked at his hands.

"Uh, nothing?" he replied.

That answer was apparently acceptable, because the statue's eyes stopped glowing, and it moved aside. He moved to the next one.

"_Where are you?" _it asked.

"The Temple of All-Consumption," he replied.

It moved aside, and he approached the fourth.

"_Why have you come here?"_ it asked.

Leorin paused for a minute.

"To learn the truth," he said.

The statue moved out of the way, allowing him to approach the fifth one. He walked up to it.

"_When will I be free?"_ it asked.

"Never!" replied Leorin.

He half-expected some objection to this, but the statue's eyes stopped glowing. It moved aside, and he moved on to the last one.

"_Who am I?"_ it asked.

Leorin looked at it hard.

"Tharizdun…" he said, softly.

The statue sank into the floor, revealing a large set of stone doors behind it. The doors slowly swung open.

Leorin walked forward, through the doors.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BLAZING SOUL SHIELD**** (Spell Card)**

**Equip Spell**

**Image: **Tender of the Laval Volcano praying as a dragon made of fire looms above her.

**Card Description: **Equip only to a non-Synchro "Laval" Monster. If your opponent activates a card effect that would destroy this card or the Equipped Monster, you may remove 1 "Laval" Monster in your Graveyard from play to negate that card's effect and destroy it. On your opponent's third End Phase after this card is played, destroy this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Dugan: We've discovered the true plan, and it doesn't seem as crazy now as it did before. With the fate of the city on the line, and with the leaders of the cult of Tharizdun and Tharizdun himself watching, my teammates and I are forced into a duel against Tiberius, Lorelei, and Lareth, a deadly melee in a three-on-three! **_

_**I'm almost starting to regret not accepting Leorin's offer for help…**_

"_**Unholy Alliance; The Altar of Arcane Powers" is coming soon. **_


	54. The Altar of Arcane Powers

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-FOUR**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Unholy Alliance**

**The Altar of Arcane Powers**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The three Shadowchasers and the three Doomdreamers watched as the Triad appeared on the holographic screen.

"So…" said Dugan. "I suppose you three are the ones who are in charge of this operation?"

"We're the heads of the organization," said the First. "But we put Tiberius 'in charge of this operation', as you say."

"_Alas," _said the Second,_ "we had hoped to keep our ruse secret for a little longer… But you, Major Dugan, had something that none of our underlings had… Common sense."_

"You're right, of course," said the Third. "The demon horde that will come over with Dark Chicago will be impossible for those three to control. Dark Chicago and the Temple of All-Consumption will crumble under the might of the US Armed Forces.

"But then… Neither Dark Chicago nor the Temple will be needed once the Ritual of Displacement is complete."

"What do you mean?" asked Nichole. "You mean you were never going to do the Ritual of the Great Sigil?"

"_Miss Belvins," _said the Second. _"Worshippers of the Dark One expect the world to be destroyed when he is freed. Thus, they expect it to be done in a spectacular, explosive way. That is why we circulated the fiction that we intended to recreate the Great Sigil. We kept our worshippers anxious at the thought of a grand crescendo, and it kept them in awe. _

"_Awe is necessary when you're leading a cult. It keeps the rabble interested, and draws more followers to you. What is more spectacular than drawing a summoning circle on the North American map and using the core of the Earth to power the greatest spell ever cast?_

"_Exciting? Yes. Dramatic? Yes. Feasible? Definitely not. The reality is, it borders on the absurd."_

"Besides," said the Third. "What sense is there in repeating a plan that already failed once?"

Nichole covered her eyes with her hand.

_Seems I was right… _she thought.

Dugan felt just as embarrassed. He had an urge to check his back, and see if someone had pinned a sign that said "sucker" to it.

_But if there's no Great Sigil, _he thought, _what is the purpose of the Ritual of Displacement? Maybe they'll tell us…_

"Are you telling me…" exclaimed Tiberius, "that I spent time, labor, manpower, and a veritable _fortune _on a plan that was a sham?"

"Quiet, Tiberius!" said the First. "It wasn't your money, you know.

"The thing is, we did research. We discovered the reason why all the Doomdreamers' plans over the millennia have failed, time and time again. We discovered why even if the Great Sigil were successfully cast, it would fail.

"Many Doomdreamers have perished trying to hatch elaborate rituals and mighty invocations that might be powerful enough to shatter the chains that hold Tharizdun. We discovered that the solution was something very different. His worshippers had been taking the wrong approach the whole time.

"Stuff like the Great Sigil is the wrong way. The gods made sure that wrong ways would not succeed. The gods are smart, and they won't take chances with something like this."

"To release Tharizdun from his prison," said the Third. "You have to do it the _right _way. One must open the door to the prison dimension where he is held with the Key."

The three Shadowchasers looked at each other. Lareth seemed just as annoyed.

"And exactly how long did it take you to come up with that?" he asked..

"_Well, it's more complicated than it sounds," _said the Second. _"It's not like there's a key hidden under Odin's welcome mat. The primal deities who created his prison also created an artifact called the Key. Simply put, it is the only thing that can release him. Nothing else can. No spell, no matter how powerful, can do so._

"_The Key has been hidden away for so long, nothing is known about it, not even what it looks like."_

"Now, we don't expect the Key to be easily won," said the First. "It's likely in some hidden vault in some celestial realm, guarded by a gauntlet of divine beasts and lethal booby traps.

"But before we can launch an expedition to claim it, we have to know where to start. It can literally be anywhere in the universe. Our divination spells have so far turned up empty, and truth be told, we aren't surprised. The gods would spare no expense to protect it. The only reason we can see as to why it exists is because it is likely needed to keep him in as much as it is required to let him out."

"There's only one person we know of who might know where the Key is who we could convince to tell us," said the Third. "Dagon."

"Dagon?" asked Nichole.

"_Dagon is one of the oldest and wisest demon lords in existence," _said the Second. _"He's older than dirt. So old that even my people have no recollection of his origins. The only demon who may be older is Pale Night. _

"_And he is wise and knowledgeable beyond imagining. He knows things that even the most powerful gods do not know. Forbidden knowledge. If anyone besides Tharizdun's jailers knows where the Key is, he does."_

"But I'm guessing that asking him comes with strings attached?" asked Dugan.

"Several," replied the First. "Dagon is a longtime ally of Demogorgon, the Prince of Demons. He doesn't share his knowledge unless Demogorgon approves of the one who comes inquiring."

"And Demogorgon doesn't approve?" asked Karl.

"Due to some…" said the Third.

She cleared her throat.

"…mistakes that were made in the past…" she continued. "Demogorgon's relations with Tharizdun aren't too good…"

"Members of our order have stolen divine power from Demogorgon," grumbled Lareth. "His cultist pretended to start a cult devoted to Demogorgon, which attracted followers of the Prince of Demons, but which actually paid tribute to Tharizdun. They've done the same to Zuggtmoy, Obox-Ob, and many others. I played no part in such underhanded practices, mind you… When I ran an order devoted to the God of Entropy, I was honest about it."

"Yes, and that was very commendable!" snapped the Third. "Anyway, mistakes were made, and our first step is thus to repair those relations. We seek to offer a gift to Demogorgon that he couldn't possibly refuse that would convince him to enter an alliance, which in turn, would allow him to approve us to consult Dagon."

"_Demon lords accept gifts in the form of power, riches, and slaves…" _said the Second, _"But we need something big… Something very big. A hundred slaves wouldn't be enough… Not even a thousand will do…"_

Nichole gasped.

"But about twelve-million, like the entire population of Chicago…" she exclaimed. "That should be plenty!"

"Exactly," said the First. "It would be too much of a temptation. It would let him dominate both Graz'zt and Orcus in their three-way conflict for centuries."

"We're in the Darkfell right now," said the Third. "And surrounding Dark Chicago is an army of yugoloths led by the ultroloth general Mydianchlarus."

"_Want to make deals with demons OR devils?" _asked the Second. _"Talk to the yugoloths. They do the job as middlemen perfectly."_

"As soon as the Ritual of Displacement is complete, and Dark Chicago and Chicago switch," continued the First, "Mydianchlarus will give the order to invade Chicago, and…"

"And what about us?" shouted Tiberius. "Were you just going to leave the three of us here to be nuked?"

The Triad stopped short.

"That's an answer I want to hear myself," said Lareth. "I'm the one who's doing this ritual, after all…"

"We're waiting…" said Lorelei, as she tapped her foot.

"Of… course…" said the Third. "We were planning to pull you three out…"

"What do you think, Sal?" said Karl.

"_I give it a ten percent,"_ said Sal.

"Ten percent?" said Third.

"Sal is equipped with a voice-sensitive lie detector," said Karl. "She means that last statement has a ten percent chance of being true. Give or take."

Lareth glared at the Triad.

"So, I was only a figurehead to you three all along?" he hissed. "Once I did your precious Ritual of Displacement, you figured I was no longer needed?"

"Of course not!" exclaimed the First. "We still had more things for you to do, Lareth!"

"_That one rates a five percent," _said Sal.

Lareth looked at Karl.

"Seems computers have their uses after all…" he said. "You can count me out."

"Same here," said Lorelei.

"Me too," said Tiberius. "You include us in the big plan, or no Ritual of Displacement."

The First stood up.

"You're questioning our judgment?" he asked, his eyes glowing.

"No!" shouted Tiberius. "What we're doing is standing up for ourselves! We've followed you three blindly long enough, and you must _really _think we're crazy if you think we're gonna…"

Then, something happened.

There was a colossal roar that shook the foundations of the Temple of All-Consumption. Whatever building the Triad was in shook as well.

"What is it?" shouted the Third. "An earthquake?"

"_Fool!" _cursed the Second. _"Earthquakes don't happen in two dimensions at the same time!"_

"Dugan, what _is _happening?" screamed Nichole.

"I think the Triad needed a reminder of who's _really _in charge here…" said Dugan. "And it isn't them…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

On the shore of Lake Michigan, Malafnon was speaking to Jalal.

"Then maybe we can…" he said.

Then everyone was startled by the roar.

The clouds in the sky started to churn. Thunder rumbled. Malafnon picked up a device.

"Jalal, this is bad…" he said. "Really bad! Until a minute ago, the evil divine magic surrounding that place was registering 350.54…"

"And now?" asked Jalal.

"I don't know!" shouted Malafnon. "This device can't measure past 500! Dugan and his team might be in serious trouble!"

Then everyone assembled on the beach looked up in fear as two colossal, evil-looking eyes appeared over the Temple of All-Consumption…

"God help them…" whispered Malafnon.

"He'd better…" said Jalal, "because I don't know who else can…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

For the first time, the Triad looked nervous.

"Okay…" said the First. "This is… Very unexpected…"

He cleared his throat.

"Release them…"

The vines let go of the three Doomdreamers and the three Shadowchasers.

"Tiberius…" he said. "Our god is, how do I put this?"

"Pissed off?" asked Nichole. "Upset because you three are lying backstabbers?"

"_In so many words…" _said the Second. _"Yes."_

"Unbelievable," said Dugan. "Who'd have thought that Tharizdun would show some concern for his followers?"

"He must have some ulterior motive," said Karl.

"Nonetheless, Tiberius," said the First, "he will grant your request. He will provide the energy for a stronger Ritual of Displacement, one that will transport the Temple of All-Consumption as well."

"_We assure you, Mydianchlarus' army will leave it alone," _said the Second.

"We will personally conduct the Ritual itself," said the Third. "But there is a condition…

"You three will have to provide the sacrifice."

"We have a sacrifice," said Lareth. "These three do-gooders."

"It will need something with more kick to it, Lareth," said the First. "Strapping them down and killing them while they're helpless will not be enough.

"For this to succeed, we need sacrifice by battle."

"Uh, I'm not familiar with that term…" said Nichole. "I'm not sure I like the sound of it either…"

"_It means that the offering must be slain in combat by the Doomdreamer,"_ said the Second. _"In days past, this was done in gladiator-style combat, with swords, armor, and the like. _

"_However… We must use the materials at hand to make it feasible, which as we said before, is a prerequisite at this point. We'll do it in a more modern style… To appease Tharizdun, you will engage in the ultimate Shadow Duel…"_

Lightning flashed.

"Okay, now I'm sure I don't like it," said Nichole.

"Hold on…" said Tiberius. "Who's gonna duel who?"

"All of you will duel," said the First. "It will be three-on-three."

He turned to the Doomdreamers.

"Should the three of you defeat these Shadowchasers," he said, "our god will be pleased…

"If you lose…

"Well, let me put it this way… _Don't _lose."

"We'd have to be nuts to agree to this…" said Karl.

"It's the only way to stop them…" said Dugan. "And we have an ancient, mad-as-hell god of insanity who's somehow managed to manifest an aspect above the city.

"It's incredibly rare that Tharizdun can manifest an aspect, due to his imprisonment, but legend says that the rare times he _has_, the destruction has been catastrophic… But maybe, just maybe, if we duel his servants and win, we can weaken him enough to force him to retreat."

"You sure about that?" asked Nichole, as she lifted an eyebrow.

"No, frankly I'm _not _sure," said Dugan, nervously. "But we don't have many options here!"

The three Shadowchasers nodded, and lifted their Disks. The three Doomdreamers glared back at them, and lifted their custom-built models.

"First, some ground rules…" said the Third. "We'll use the team rules as outlined by Kaibacorp. Each team will share one field and one Graveyard, and can use anything on or in either when it's his or her turn.

"You'll alternate turns as follows: First Dugan, then Tiberius, then Nichole, then Lorelei, then Karl, then Lareth, and then back to Dugan. You may only activate cards when it's your turn.

"Each team will also share a Life Point pool, and to make it interesting, the scores will start at 16,000 per team."

"Good lord…" said Nichole.

"Let's be glad they didn't say 24,000…" said Dugan.

"If anyone wants to switch cards from your Side Decks," said the Third, "you have five minutes to do so."

Karl looked hard at the pouch that contained his side deck. He quickly took out the fifteen cards and looked through them.

He made two changes, and then shuffled his deck.

Simultaneously, six Disks activated.

"Duel!" they all said at once.

**(Dugan's Team: 16,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Tiberius's Team: 16,000)**

Lightning flashed as Dugan made his first draw.

_And so the final stage begins… _he thought, as he looked at his opening hand.

"I summon Scrap Goblin…" he said.

He played the card, and the small, metal Beast-Warrior appeared on the field. (0 ATK)

"I expected a more grandiose start from you, Dugan," said Tiberius.

"Mmm," said Dugan. "I'll end with a facedown card."

A set card appeared behind the Goblin.

"My move!" said Tiberius, as he made a draw.

"And I'll summon a real Monster! My Weathering Solider!"

The ground cracked, and the rocky, headless humanoid burst through the ground. (2,000 ATK)

"Blow that Goblin away!" he shouted. "Wind Slash Attack!"

Weathering Soldier charged, and aimed a punch at the small Scrap.

"Go, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" shouted Dugan.

The Trap Card sprang up, and the Rock Monster's fist plowed into the cast-iron farm decoy. Tiberius grumbled as it set back on the field.

"I end my turn…" he said.

"Which means Weathering Soldier loses 600 Attack Points," said Dugan.

(1,400 ATK)

"Then it's my move!" said Nichole, as she stepped into position.

She drew a card.

"I summon Amazoness Fighter!" she shouted.

She threw the card on her Disk, and the Amazon bodybuilder leapt onto the field. (1,500 ATK)

"And now she's gonna put the hurt on Weathering Soldier!"

Fighter leapt at the Golem, and kicked it hard, smashing it into a pile of pebbles.

"Now I'll switch Scrap Goblin to Defense Mode," continued Nichole, as the small Goblin knelt and covered itself with its fork and awl. (500 DEF)

"Two cards facedown," she said, as two reversed cards appeared in her Spell Zone, "and my turn is over…"

**(D: 16,000) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 15,900)**

"Which means I'm up," said Lorelei, as she made her first draw.

"And guess what, Nichole? I've saved my best deck for now!"

She played a Spell Card.

"I activate Dark World Lightning!"

Lightning crashed down, hitting Scrap-Iron Scarecrow and blowing it to pieces.

"Now that I've destroyed a set card, I have to discard one…"

She discarded a card.

"But that's okay, because the card I discarded was Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World!"

In an aura of golden light, a very atypical demon in golden armor materialized on the field. It had horns, wings, claws, and all the basic stuff on its hulking, muscular body. It held a large axe in both hands. (2,300 ATK)

_Dark World Monsters… _thought Nichole. _Very dangerous…_

"Because that was a Special Summon," continued Lorelei, "I can also summon Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World."

In a dark aura, a thin, lean, and downright ugly Fiend appeared. He was dressed in armor and a helmet that seemed to be made out of bone, and carried a long pike. (1,600 ATK)

"Skewer her Fighter!" commander Lorelei.

Beiige spun his weapon around, and stabbed Fighter in the navel with his weapon. She groaned, and fell to her knees before shattering.

"I take no damage," said Nichole, as her facedown card lifted up. "And I activate… Pride of Tribe!"

Amazoness Swords Woman leapt onto the field. (1,500 ATK)

"That annoying Warrior again…" growled Lorelei. "Well, fine! I'm not afraid of her, and neither is Goldd!"

Goldd roared, and swung his axe, cutting Swords Woman in two. Her sword flew through the air, and Lorelei grunted in pain as it hit her.

**(D: 16,000) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 15,100)**

"I end my turn," she said.

"That means it's my move…" said Karl.

He stepped into position, and drew a card.

"Hey Dugan," he said, "you don't mind if use your Goblin, do you?"

"You don't need to ask, Karl," replied Dugan, "we're all in this together."

"Fine," said Karl, "I summon Warlock of the Ice Barrier!"

Warlock appeared next to Scrap Goblin, and the two Monsters looked at each other. (400 ATK)

"Now, I Tune both Monsters together…"

Scrap Goblin and Warlock of the Ice Barrier flew towards the ceiling, and dissolved into globules of light…

"_Let the aurora borealis shine its celestial light down upon the city in its darkest hour!"_

**(*3 + *3 = *6)**

"_Synchro Summon… Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

With a roar, the frigid Sea Serpent raised its head over the field. (2,300 ATK)

Karl quickly took Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier and Geomancer of the Ice Barrier from his hand, and threw them into his discard slot. Brionac roared again, and both of the Fiends were blown off the field.

"GO!" he shouted. "Attack Lorelei directly!"

Lorelei let out a scream as a bolt of ice and frost plowed into her, knocking her down.

"How dare you!" she cursed.

Karl didn't respond. He simply set a card in his Disk, and it appeared in his Spell Zone.

**(D: 16,000) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 12,800)**

"_Lovely…" _said the Second, as he angrily crossed his tentacles. _"They're already losing."_

"Don't worry," said the Third. "If there's one thing I know about the typical leadership of this organization, it's that they tend to work better when they're pushed harder."

"Indeed," said the First. "And if this fails, there might be something else we can fall back on…"

The Second and the Third looked at him.

"_Does this plan involve the three of us drawing straws?" _asked the Second.

"No…" said the first. "You see, I know now that the reason Tharizdun is upset with us is because, apparently, Tiberius, Lorelei, and Lareth are all more important to him than we were led to believe. He has plans for all of them that we were not privy to.

"Perhaps, just perhaps, we can use this to our advantage…"

"And if we can't?" asked the Third.

"I dunno…" replied the First. "I always wanted to take a trip to Gehenna… Maybe that's what we'll do…"

"My move…" growled Lareth.

He stepped forward, and drew a card.

He looked at it. It was the card he had received when Diabound's card was consumed.

He opened the slot for Field Spells on his Disk, and quickly played it.

"I activate Altar of Arcane Powers," he said.

As he played the card, the room became even darker, and a glowing circle surrounded the six duelists. The Tabernacle of Utter Darkness turned into black marble, and two candelabras, each with five unlit candles made of black wax appeared on it.

"What the..." said Dugan.

"I'd love to tell you all what it does," said Lareth, "but you'll just have to wait…

"Anyway, I play my Foolish Burial Spell Card…"

He played the card, and then discarded a card from his deck.

"Next, Silent Doom," he said, as he played another Spell Card. "I'll summon Sealed Beast Tssng from my Graveyard."

The lizard-like Sealed Beast rose onto the field. (1,200 DEF)

"Next, I summon Dark Tinker…"

He fit another card on his Disk, and the spider-like Tuner that Jack Atlas often used appeared next to the Sealed Beast. (1,000 ATK)

"Then, I'll Tune them together for a Synchro Summoning of my own…"

The Fiend and the Reptile turned into six glowing stars…

**(*2 + *4 = *6)**

"Arise… Dark Wolf Seirios!"

With a howl, a tall, muscular Beast-Warrior materialized in front of him. Hunched over, it was covered with hair, with a wolf-like head. Its two arms also ended in wolf's heads, and all three of its heads were foaming at the mouths. (2,400 ATK)

"First, I'll activate Dark Tinker's effect, and check the top card of my deck," continued Lareth.

He flipped the top card of his deck and looked at it.

"Think I'll keep that on top," he said, as he put it back.

"Now I'll attack your Sea Serpent! Roar of Hades!"

Seirios roared from all three of its mouths, and Brionac groaned before exploding into little pieces.

**(D: 15,900) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 12,800)**

"Nuts…" said Karl.

A candle lit up on one of the candelabras on the altar behind him. No-one saw it, however… The change was too small.

Lareth continued, playing a Spell Card.

"I next play Greed Grado," he said. "Because I destroyed your Synchro Monster, I get to make two draws…"

He drew two cards.

"And with that, my turn is complete…"

"And back to me!" said Dugan, stepping forward.

He drew a card.

He looked at it. It was Scrap Chimera.

_Nice… _he thought.

"I summon Scrap Chimera!" he shouted.

The mythical Scrap bounded onto the field with a roar. (1,700 ATK)

"Now, I use its effect to bring Scrap Goblin back from the Graveyard!"

Scrap Goblin appeared again. (0 ATK)

The two Scraps leapt into the air, and flew towards the ceiling.

"Time for one of _my _heavy hitters…"

**(*2 + * 4 = *6)**

"I Synchro Summon… Scrap Archfiend!"

Flames burst from the floor in front of him, and the cast-iron demon rose up from the fires. (2,700 ATK)

"Time to teach that dog to heel," said Dugan. "Attack!"

Scrap Archfiend fired its Blazing Bolts from its eyes, and Dark Wolf Seirios exploded in an eruption of flames.

A second candle on the candelabra lit.

"Seems my creature from the Underworld was tougher than yours," said Dugan.

"That's what you think," said Lareth, with an evil smile. "You may have destroyed Seirios, but he'll get the last laugh. When he's destroyed by battle, the Monster responsible loses 2,400 Attack Points."

Scrap Archfiend groaned. (300 ATK)

"Look at your mighty Archfiend now!" laughed Lareth. "It could barely beat a Kuriboh!"

Dugan took a card from his hand, and set it in his Disk.

"I'll set this facedown," he said, as it appeared in his Spell Zone, "and I end my turn…"

**(D: 15,900) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 12,500)**

Tiberius stepped forward, and drew a card.

"I set a Monster, and two facedown cards," he said.

Three set cards appeared in front of him, one in his Monster Zone, and three in his Spell Zone.

"Take it easy, Uly…" said Lorelei. "We all can only use five Spells and Traps total, you know…"

"Continuing…" said Tiberius, ignoring the remark. "I remove Weathering Soldier from play to Special Summon The Rock Spirit in Defense Mode."

The large, armored elemental spirit wearing a Spartan helmet appeared, kneeling and holding his mace in his lap. (1,000 ATK)

"And I end my turn…"

"My move!" shouted Nichole.

She made a draw.

"I summon Amazoness Chain Master!"

With a war cry, the Amazon with the spiked grapple leapt onto the field. (1,500 ATK)

"Now, she's going after your little mystery Monster, Tiberius!"

Chain Master hurled her weapon, and Bro Gargoyle appeared on the card, it shattered into shards of rock.

A third candle lit up on the candelabra.

"Perfect!" shouted Nichole.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"Go, Queen's Pawn!"

Amazoness Tiger appeared on the field. She looked at Tiberius, and growled angrily. (1,100 ATK) –) (1,900 ATK)

"Your Rock Spirit may gain 300 Attack Points when my Tiger attacks it," continued Nichole with a grin, "but guess what? It's in Defense Mode!"

Tiger leapt at the Rock Spirit.

"I activate my Trap," said Tiberius, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Stone Tell! Now, my Rock Monster survives, and I get to draw a card."

He made a draw, and Tiger bounced off of the crouching spirit.

Nichole sighed.

"All right…" she said. "I'll move Scrap Archfiend to Defense Mode, and end my turn."

The large Fiend knelt, and covered itself with its wings. (1,800 DEF)

"My move…" said Lorelei, drawing a card.

She let out a low chuckle.

"I summon Fabled Raven!" she laughed.

She played the card, and in an overpowering aura of light, a sinister-looking Fiend appeared. It wore black armor, a cowl covering the upper half of its face, and had blade-like wings on its arms. (1,300 ATK)

"He may not be a Dark World Fiend," she continued, "but they just _love _him, because he can help them out, and benefit himself! You see, for each card from my hand that I toss, he gains 400 Attack Points _and _one Level!

"And should the cards I toss be Dark World Fiends… Well, all the better!"

She held up two cards.

"First I'll toss the two guys that your pal Brionac blew back to my hand a few turns ago!"

She discarded the two cards, and first Goldd (2,300 ATK) and then Beiige (1,600 ATK) appeared in front of her. Raven's Attack Score rose up to 2,100.

"Next, I'll discard Broww, Huntsman of Dark World!" she continued.

She discarded the card, and Raven went up to and Attack Score of 2,500.

"Due to Broww's effect, I get to draw a card."

She made a draw.

"Finally, I'll discard Grapha, Dragon God of Dark World!" she exclaimed.

She discarded another card, and Raven went up to an Attack Score of 2,900.

"By doing that, I can destroy any card on the field I want!"

A huge, hideous Fiend that resembled a Dragon in general outline appeared behind her. Then it exhaled a noxious cloud of filth and decay, and Scrap Archfiend was eroded into dust.

Another candle on the candelabra lit. 

"So much for him," said Lorelei, as it faded away. "Now to clean up… The Rock Spirit moves to Attack Mode…"

The Rock Spirit stood up, and lifted its mace. (1,600 ATK)

"Raven… Attack that Tiger for me, will you?"

Fabled Raven formed a ball of burning light in its hands…

"I activate my Trap!" shouted Nichole.

A facedown card lifted up.

"Or should I say, Dugan's Trap," she said with a grin. "Attack Guidance Armor!"

The fiendish suit of armor flew towards Goldd, and laver his regular armor. He looked at it with an expression that suggested "Huh?" 

Then Raven's energy ball did a full 180, striking him and blowing him to shards.

The fifth and final candle lit up on the first candelabra.

"Good move, Nichole," said Dugan.

Nichole gave him a thumb's up.

"I end my turn…" hissed Lorelei.

Raven fell back down to an Attack Score of 1,300.

**(D: 15,900) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 11,800)**

Karl stepped forward, and made a draw.

"Hey, Larry, Moe, Curly!" he said, as he threw a Spell Card into his Disk. "Recognize this card?"

"Signal Check?" screamed Lorelei. "Where the Hell did you get that?"

"I know someone in the Pro Leagues who owed me a favor," said Karl. "After two of your minions used this card, I figured that what was good for the goose was good for the gander.

"I assume you know how it works, Lorelei…"

Lorelei started picking up cards from her deck. She stopped after the third.

"I believe…" said Karl. "I believe that you drew a Dark Monster."

Lorelei scowled and flipped the card around. It was Gren, Tactician of Dark World.

"You were right…" she growled. "Will wonders never cease…"

She shuffled the three cards into her deck as Karl made three draws.

"I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier!" he shouted.

Samurai leapt onto the field, holding his freezing daishō. (1,800 ATK)

"Attack!" shouted Karl. "Destroy Fabled Raven with chill blade!"

The Samurai made a swipe with his weapon, cutting the wicked Fiend in half.

"Now, Amazoness Tiger will maul that Vanguard!"

Tiger leapt, tackling the diabolic foot soldier. He screamed, and then shattered.

With no more unlit candles on the first candelabra, two of them of the _second _candelabra lit up.

"That Rock Spirit is too much for Chain Master to handle," he said, "so I'll end my turn there…"

**(D: 15,900) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 11,000)**

"My move…" said Lareth.

He drew a card.

Then he quickly played it.

"I play Sealed Mantra!" he shouted. "Now, my Sealed Beasts' effects are no longer… Sealed.

"That means I can Special Summon Sealed Beast Nunurao from my hand…"

The small, serpent-like Sealed Beast appeared on the field. (500 ATK)

"Next, I'll Special Summon a second Sealed Beast Nunurao," he continued.

A second of the small serpents appeared. (500 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice them both…"

The two small Sealed Beasts turned into two orbs of darkness.

"…for Sealed Beast Niburu!"

Karl didn't remember this Sealed Beast from their last duel, but he already could tell that he didn't like it. The towering behemoth of black armor with sharp edges glared at him with a face that had no eyes. (2,700 ATK)

"Now, I use its effect," continued Lareth, "to Special Summon Sealed Beast Tssng from my Graveyard."

Tssng appeared, curled up in Defense Mode. (1,200 DEF)

"Attack his Samurai!" shouted Lareth. "Unfettered power of the Ancients!"

Niburu let out an unearthly roar, and Samurai of the Ice Barrier was blown over before he was blown to pieces.

The third candle on the second candelabra lit up.

**(D: 15,000) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 11,000)**

"Stop feeding your ego, you big idiot!" shouted Lorelei. "Nichole's Tiger is the bigger threat!"

Lareth looked at her, clearly offended.

"Idiot?" he replied. "You turned her into a cat when you should have killed her. You're the idiot in this group."

"Oh, and I suppose using a Phantasmal Killer was easier than simply strangling him?" asked Lorelei.

"I seem to recall a certain someone telling me _never _commit a violent act in that room," said Lareth, putting his hand on his hip.

"Knock it off you two," shouted Tiberius, "you're _both _idiots!" 

They looked at him.

"Oh?" asked Lorelei. "Who got us into this mess, Uly?"

Tiberius glared at her.

"That's another thing!" he shouted, as he pointed at her. "I _hate _it when you call me that!"

"Can you imagine that these guys were giving us so much trouble just a few hours ago?" asked Nichole.

"It boggles the mind…" said Karl.

The three Doomdreamers looked at them.

"ENOUGH!" shouted the First's voice.

The three Doomdreamers jumped.

"Need I recount the well-known story of how Lumis and Umbra met their doom?" said the First, as he got off his throne. "I had my doubts about this duel, but I always thought you could cooperate better than squabbling children!"

The three Doomdreamers trembled as they looked at him. He sat back on his throne.

"This could be a long duel…" sighed Nichole.

"I believe it's Dugan's turn…" said the First, as he crossed his arms.

Dugan stepped forward, and made a draw.

"I activate Monster Reincarnation," he said, as he played a Spell Card.

He quickly discarded a card, and took Scrap Chimera from his discard slot.

"Next, I'll summon Scrap Chimera…"

He played the card, and Scrap Chimera reappeared. (1,700 ATK)

"And because the card I discarded to play Monster Reincarnation was Scrap Beast, I can Special Summon it to the field."

Scrap Beast leapt onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

The two Scraps leapt into the air, and started fading into light.

"_The spark of life that powers these metal automations will grow into a white-hot fire that will vanquish the darkness!"_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Scrap Dragon!"_

There was no roar or showy entrance this time. The large metal Dragon simply lowered itself down and glared angrily at the three Doomdreamers through its glowing optic sensors. (2,800 ATK)

Dugan took Scrap Lube from his hand, and set it on his Disk.

"Now, I'll destroy this card," he said, "to destroy Sealed Beast Niburu!"

Scrap Dragon blasted its poisonous breath, and the huge Reptile bellowed. Then it collapsed to the floor of the temple and exploded.

"Now for your other Monsters," continued Dugan. "Chain Master will handle the other Sealed Beast first…"

Chain Master leapt at Tssng, and swung her grapple, blasting it to pieces of black residue.

"I use Tssng's effect," growled Lareth. "I get to draw two cards…"

He made two draws.

"Yeah?" said Dugan. "Well I'm not done…"

Scrap Dragon blasted its mighty breath. The Rock Spirit's Attack Score increased to 2,000, but it was still blasted into dust.

"Amazoness Tiger, attack him directly!"

"Lareth, use it now…" growled Tiberius.

"I activate Miracle's Wake!" shouted Lareth, as he activated Tiberius's Trap Card. "Now I'll bring back…"

He paused. Tiberius glared at him.

The Rock Spirit appeared again. (1,600 ATK) –) (1,900 ATK)

"My attack is called off," said Dugan. "I end my turn."

**(D: 15,000) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 10,200)**

Tiberius stepped up and made a draw.

"You'd best have a plan, Tiberius," said Lareth. "Otherwise, my Field Spell is going to be a big waste."

"His Field Spell…" said Karl.

"His Field Spell!" exclaimed Dugan. "We forgot all about it!

"And look… All ten of those candles on the two candelabras are lit…"

"Don't worry, Dugan!" said Nichole. "On my turn, I'll use your Dragon's effect to blow this Field Spell to teeny-tiny pieces!"

"I'm afraid you won't get that chance, Miss Belvins," said Tiberius.

He played a card.

"I summon Grandfather Plaque."

He played the card, and the large stone plaque depicting a head of an old man appeared. (1,000 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together Grandfather Plaque and The Rock Spirit…" he said.

The two Rock Monsters flew towards the ceiling, and turned into glowing motes of light.

"_From the maddening winds of the caverns of Pandemonium, elemental forces form a creature born from stone eroded by pure insanity!"_

**(*4 + * 4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Infernal Flail Golem!"_

The ground burst open with a shudder, and the large golem with a spiked mace for a right hand crawled out. (2,400 ATK)

"Due to Grandfather Plaque's effect," said Tiberius, "my team gains 1,000 Life Points."

"And what is that big piece of rock gonna do?" asked Dugan. "It can't beat my Dragon."

"You forget one trait shared by all my Infernal Golems," said Tiberius. "They're multi-Type. This Monster is both a Rock and a Fiend."

Dugan looked at him.

"Wait…" he said.

"That's right!" said Tiberius, as a Spell Card appeared in front of him. "I'm using Dark Fusion to combine this creature with Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"

Granmarg briefly appeared next to the Golem, and then the two creatures were pulled into a portal of darkness…

The room started to shake…

Dugan's eyes widened in horror as Evil Hero Dark Gaia burst out of the ground. (4,800 ATK)

"No!" he screamed. "No that!"

"Seems I've made you lose your nerve again!" laughed Tiberius. "Dark Gaia, flatten his Dragon with Dark Catastrophe!"

The Evil Hero lifted its claw, and a burning ball of fire formed in it. It hurled it at Scrap Dragon, and a bellowing roar filled the chamber as the Scrap Synchro was literally burned from the inside out.

"Ergh…" said Dugan. "I… I use the effect of Scrap Dragon… Scrap Beast, come back!"

Scrap Beast leapt onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

Tiberius chuckled, and set his last card in his Disk.

"I place this facedown," he said, "and then Miss Belvins can take her turn…"

**(D: 13,000) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 11,200)**

Nichole's hand shook as she drew a card.

_No need to panic… _she thought, as she looked at it. _I'll use Scrap Beast and Chain Master to summon Jalal's card… _

_Dark Gaia has zero Defense Points… I can…_

"I know what you're planning…" said Tiberius.

His Trap Card lifted up.

"Well, forget it. I activate Cloak and Dagger. I name any Monster I can think of, and if that Monster appears, it is removed from play.

"I name Dragonprince Jalal. Oh yes, that's right… I know all about that new version of your employer's card…"

Nichole looked at the cards in her hand hard.

She set one on her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

_Moving everyone to Defense Mode would be pointless, _she thought. _Dark Gaia's attack will just move them back to Attack Mode…_

"I end my turn," she said.

"My move…" said Lorelei, as she made a draw.

She took two cards from her hand, and set them in her Disk.

"I set these," she said, as two cards appeared in her Spell Zone.

"And then I attack Scrap Beast with Dark Gaia!"

Dark Gaia powered up its Dark Catastrophe again. Nichole was knocked on her rump as Scrap Beast exploded.

She held her chest. _That hurt…_

"My Trap… activates…" she groaned.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"Shock Draw…" she said. "I get to draw one card for every 1,000 points of damage I took this round…"

She quickly made three draws.

She couldn't believe her bad luck. If she'd only had two of these cards just a few minutes ago…

"I end my turn…" said Lorelei.

**(D: 9,800) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 11,200)**

Karl drew a card.

It was Creature Swap.

"Okay, people, there's nothing to worry about!" he said.

The facedown card he had set on his first turn lifted up.

"I activate Limit Reverse!" he shouted.

With a flash of light, Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier appeared. (100 ATK)

"Now…" he continued, "I play Creature Swap!"

He played the Spell Card.

"Oh no you don't," said Lorelei. "I activate… Dark Deal!"

One of her Trap Cards lifted up.

"On second thought…" said Karl. "Maybe I wasn't worried _enough…_"

"I give up 1,000 Life Points," said Lorelei, "and first, my Trap Card negates your Spell Card's effect. Then it gives Creature Swap a new effect. It makes me discard a card from my hand at random…"

She grinned wickedly.

"You only have _one _card in your hand!" gasped Karl.

"Well…" said the cambion, as she discarded it. "Guess you're stuck with this one…"

A cloud of foul smoke arose on the field, and a smell of brimstone filled the air.

"Arise…" said Lorelei. "Come forth, Reign-Beaux, Overlord of Dark World!"

A hideous, muscular, goat-legged, clawed Fiend with the head of a demonic ram stepped out of the smoke. He had huge, demonic wings, and carried a giant, two-bladed, golden trident. (2,500 ATK)

"Because it was your Spell that made me discard him, technically," said Lorelei, "I can now either destroy your Spell and Trap Cards or all your Monsters…

"I think that Monsters would be the better option…"

Amazoness Chain Master, Amazoness Tiger, and Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier all exploded into pixels.

"It's still my move!" cursed Karl.

He set all but one of his remaining cards on his Disk, and they appeared facedown, one in his Monster Zone, and two behind that.

"I end my turn…" he said, trying hard to sound braver than he was.

**(D: 9,800) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 10,200)**

"Then it's my move…" said Lareth, as he drew a card.

"The time has come to use the effect of my Field Spell," he said. "Every time a Monster perished, a Sacrificial Counter was added to it.

"Because it now has ten Sacrificial Counters and this is my sixth Standby Phase since I played it, when you factor in that this is a team duel, I can remove the Altar of Arcane Powers from play…"

The sinister Field vanished, and the ordinary Tabernacle of Utter Darkness was restored.

"…and in return, receive three boons, in the form of any three Spell Cards from my deck, except for Normal Spells."

Three cards appeared in his hand.

"Talk about broken…" said Dugan.

"Oh?" asked Lareth. "Had you succeeded in your plan to destroy it, or if it had not gained the ten Counters by this point, I would have lost 3,000 Life Points.

"Anyway, before I use any of these three cards, I'll play a second Silent Doom. You can never have too many."

He played the card, and Sealed Beast Tssng appeared once again. (1,200 DEF)

"Then, I summon the Tuner Monster, Dark Resonator!"

The Fiend dressed in a foolscap holding a tuning fork and mallet appeared next to the Sealed Beast. (1,300 ATK)

"Now, I use my first boon… The Equip Spell, Synchro Boost."

He played the card, and Dark Resonator glowed with energy. (1,800 ATK)

"It not only increases its Attack Score by 500, but it boosts its Level by one.

"Now, I Tune it with my Level 4 Sealed Beast Tssng…"

Karl watched as a horribly familiar Synchro Summoning started. Once again, the two Monsters turned to stars, but flew through dark energy rings…

"_And lo, the Lord of Pestilence shall walk the mortal world, and all whom his shadow falls upon will sicken and die…"_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_I Synchro Summon… Demon King Dragon Beelze!"_

It was all that Karl could do to keep from turning to flee as the hideous creature glared at him with its six eyes. (3,000 ATK)

"Your Dragon can't protect you this time, Mr. Hudson!" shouted Lareth. "Now I'll finish what I started last time!

"Dark Gaia, crush his Monster!"

The Evil Hero lifted his hand. Dance Princess of the Ice Barrier flipped into Attack Mode. (1,700 ATK) A few seconds later, Karl screamed in pain as she was incinerated.

"Attack him directly, Reign-Beaux!" ordered Lareth. "Wave of Destruction!"

The Overlord of Dark World pointed his weapon, and Karl screamed again as a blast of pure darkness plowed into him, tearing at the very life energy within his body…

"And now, I attack with Demon King Dragon Beelze…" said Lareth the Beautiful. "Destroy him…

"Plague of Blasphemy…"

Karl screamed a third time as the swarm of burning locusts, lice, and flies mobbed him.

"KARL!" screamed Dugan and Nichole at once.

"Hmm…" said Lareth.

The smoke started to clear…

"Impossible…" he gasped.

**(D: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 10,600)**

By some miracle, Karl was still standing… Barely. Blood was pouring from his nose and his clothes were in rags, but he hadn't fallen yet.

And he had activated one of his Trap Cards.

He coughed, and coughed up blood.

"It's called…" he said weakly. "It's called… Ray of Hope…"

He coughed again.

"It cut… the damage… from your Monster's… attack… in half…"

"How unfortunate," said Lareth.

He took another card from his hand.

"I activate my second boon…" he said. "Sebek's Blessing… Now I gain Life Points equal to the amount of damage my attack just dished out.

"I had hoped for more but… Eh…"

He played the card, and he glowed with energy.

Karl coughed again, far more violently.

"I use… Ray of Hope's… other effect…" he stammered. "I get to… Special… Summon… a Level 1 Monster… from my… hand…"

With incredible effort, he lifted the last card in his hand. His mind was full of fog, but he knew that he had to complete this last move with his final ounce of strength…

His legs quivered… His hand trembled…

He dropped the card on his Disk, and Caravan of the Ice Barrier appeared. (500 ATK)

And then, he collapsed.

Lareth looked at him.

"That may well be the most pathetic attempt I have ever seen," he said. "And that's saying a lot…"

He set a card on his Disk, and a facedown card appeared next to Lorelei's card.

"I'll end my turn with that…" he said.

**(D: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 11,700)**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RAY OF HOPE (Trap Card, anime version)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **An orb of light inside a dark cloud, casting out multicolored beams of energy.

**Card Description: **Activate when you would take 1,500 or more points of Battle Damage from one attack. Reduce the damage you would take by half. At the end of the Battle Phase, you may Special Summon a Level 1 Monster from your hand. Its effect is negated.

_Note: "Ray of Hope" was first used by Jack in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Will the Real Jack Atlas Please Stand Up? (Part 2)". __Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. It is unrelated to the real card of the same name._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**ALTAR OF ARCANE POWERS (Spell Card)**

**Field Spell**

**Image: **A likeness of the Tabernacle of Utter Darkness.

**Card Description: **If this card is destroyed, the controller takes 3,000 points of damage. When a Monster is destroyed, put 1 "Sacrificial Counter" on this card (max. 10). On the controller's sixth Standby Phase after playing this card, if this card has 10 "Sacrificial Counters", he or she may remove this card from play and select any 3 Spell Cards from your deck except Normal Spell Cards or an "Altar of Arcane Powers" and add them to his or her hand. If this card does not have 10 "Sacrificial Counters" at this time, destroy this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**The Doomdreamers are far ahead on Life Points, they obviously have field advantage, and Karl is clearly dying. Is it even possible for the good guys to turn this around?**_

_**This duel will continue, but not next chapter! Next chapter, Leorin confronts his true enemy in the Crypt, in order to break his curse and discover the final piece of the puzzle. **_

"_**The Crypt; The Enemy Within" is coming soon. **_


	55. The Crypt, The Enemy Within

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-FIVE**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Crypt**

**The Enemy Within**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Deep within the subbasements of the Temple of All-Consumption, two stone doors opened with a loud creak.

Leorin stepped into a large chamber, and looked around, flabbergasted.

The Crypt was well-named. In rows to either side of a pathway that led down the center of the huge chamber were hundreds upon hundreds of stone sarcophagi. The dark chamber was lit by torches on the walls.

He glanced at one sarcophagus, but it was featureless. There was no indication of who – or what – this coffin was supposed to be the final resting place of.

Strangely, despite the spooky décor of this huge mausoleum, Leorin felt like he belonged here. He felt the same sense of security that a man would feel inside his own home. He knew that this was still the Temple of All-Consumption, a dark temple devoted to an evil god, but it was almost as if this chamber belonged to him…

"Welcome, Leorin…" said a voice.

Leorin looked down the pathway, and saw Marcus Hape standing there. He had not met him yet, so he didn't know who he was, but it was clearly Hape.

"I've been waiting for you Leorin…" he said. "We've never actually met… But I know you like a book…"

"I know you…" said Leorin. "But… I can't place it…"

"Haven't figured it out yet?" said Hape.

He shrugged, and chuckled a little.

"Ah, well…" he said. "I'm sure it will come to you…

"The name I'm using now is Marcus Hape, and you may call me that… But I have no real name… I've used so many names over the millennia…

"Now I know that a guy like you would never resort to grave robbing, but in case you're wondering, these coffins have no actual bodies inside them… They're actually more like headstones…

"Each one represents a former life… A past incarnation… A life that you left behind, Leorin… And then forgot after you died and were reborn… The cycle has repeated itself so many times since that bitch did this to us…"

"Us?" said Leorin. "Just who are you?"

Then Leorin gasped. Hape had changed, and now looked exactly like he did, except wearing different clothes.

"I've had to alter my appearance over the centuries too," said Hape. "A little trick I picked up. It just wouldn't do to have the various cults of Tharizdun know what I really looked like…"

"Why do you look just like me?" gasped Leorin.

"Calm down, Leorin," said Hape. "I'm not your clone, or your evil twin, or your future self. I know that all of those three possibilities have been done to death in bad soap operas and science fiction movies.

"What I am is something that was once a part of you… Before that wretched hag tore me out and threw me away like trash…"

Leorin stopped to take this in. And then he stared at Hape as he realized what he meant.

"When Darkquill took my mortality away…" he gasped.

"It gained life…" said Hape. "It became a sentient entity…"

He pointed to himself.

"I'm your mortality, Leorin."

"So why have you decided to worship Tharizdun?" asked Leorin, with an angry tone in his voice.

Hape chuckled again.

"Don't be ridiculous!" he laughed. "I couldn't care less about Tharizdun. I don't want to destroy the world, and I doubt that it's even possible for him to be freed. My alliance with his minions over the years has been one of convenience.

"See… You oppose them… So I help them to better oppose you. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"But… Why?" asked Leorin.

"I'm under a similar situation as you, Leorin," replied Hape. "The difference is, I don't think of it as a curse. I _love _the idea of living forever. Of course, I never forgot my past lives, and I retained all the power and skills I learned in each of them.

"The thing is, we share a bond. If one of us were to die permanently, so would the other.

"That's why I've opposed you so many times. To make you forget by dying. I knew that if you started to remember, it would all come apart…

"When you woke at that morgue on the South Side, I knew something was different…

"I discovered soon that you had the Escape Clause."

Leorin looked at his Duel Disk.

"Yeah, that's the dickens," said Hape, pointing to it. "I tried to make sure you died again as quickly as possible. But my spell that transported you to where the Dread Emperor's killing spree had just ended confirmed my suspicions… Dying didn't make you forget anymore."

"YOU did that?" asked Leorin.

"That's right," said Hape. "So I had to think bigger. I approached Tiberius. I tempted him with the Dark Forge cards, convincing him and his cult to come out of hiding and openly oppose the Shadowchasers, who had taken you in. I had to make it as dangerous for you as possible.

"My second attempt was when I sent you to the museum, knowing you'd perish in that bomb. But that didn't do the trick either. So I had to take other methods."

"You dirty…" said Leorin. "Nichole could have been killed too!"

"Not my concern," said Hape. "This hasn't been easy. Darkquill escaped because of all this, and I couldn't have her meddling with it all…"

Leorin gasped.

"You were the assassin!" he said, pointing his finger at Hape.

"That's right…" said Hape. "Oh come on, don't tell me you're going to feel sorry for her now? If I remember correctly, you called her 'a merciless human trafficker', which, by the way, was exactly what she was. She likely would have gone back to her old ways had she lived.

"Trust me, Leorin, if you had accepted her offer to be her consort, the infinite pleasures she promised you would have gotten boring after a few weeks, and then you would have started feeling dirty. A night hag can promise, but she can rarely deliver."

"And you formed a partnership with Marik's dark side too…" growled Leorin.

Hape sighed.

"Again, it was an arrangement of convenience," he replied. "I didn't like him at all. And because he was a washout, and that other hag helped you gain your memories back, curse her, it seems that now we have to meet face-to-face."

"We have seen the enemy and it is ourselves…" mumbled Leorin.

"Interesting quotation…" said Hape. "You're wondering what you have to do here, right?"

He lifted his hand, and gestured around to all the sarcophagi.

"Somewhere among all these coffins," he said, "is the one that represents your… _our_… original incarnation. Now I have no idea which one it is… They all look identical to me… But I would assume that you would have to find it somehow."

"And you're not going to let me, right?" asked Leorin. "You're likely going to kill me to try to make me forget again. Well, it won't work… As you've already noticed, I don't forget anymore."

"Oh?" asked Hape: "You will if the one who gave you that Duel Disk considers you a failure."

Leorin glared at him. Then he looked at his Duel Disk.

"That's right…" said Hape. "You think that's a Duel Disk you're wearing? It's something much more, Leorin… I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is, but I will tell you that whoever gave it to you can very easily take it back.

"What can change the nature of a man, Leorin? That was the question that Darkquill asked you… You answered regret…"

"You know something?" said Leorin, looking hard at him. "The more I think of it, the more I think that the answer to that question is subject to the person being asked. There are a lot of things in this universe that can change the nature of a man… Love, faith… tragedy… the question doesn't have an easy answer."

"You answered regret because you thought that regret was what would change _your _nature," said Hape. "You regretted your cowardly act that drove those solders and townsfolk to their doom, and thought regret for what you did was the first step towards redemption.

"Well, I have an easy answer to the question. I think you're full of it. _Nothing _can change the nature of a man.

"And I intend to prove it, here and now."

"So what happens now?" asked Leorin.

A Duel Disk appeared on Hape's arm.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"And what makes you think I'll agree?" asked Leorin.

"Because your only alternative is repeating this cycle of dying and being reborn until the end of time!" replied Hape.

Leorin sighed.

He wanted to hate this man… He had put Dugan, Karl, and Nichole at risk with this whole scheme… And who knew how many people had suffered and died over the countless millennia he had been helping the evil cults of the Dark God?

But still… Hape was a part of him… His dark side, perhaps, but Hape was also his mortality, and was a part he wanted back…

"Well," said Leorin, "since you put it that way…"

He activated his Duel Disk.

_It all comes down to this… _he thought. _It's all between me and myself…_

"Duel!" they both shouted.

**(Leorin: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Hape: 8,000)**

"I'm taking the first move, Leorin," said Hape, drawing a card.

"And I summon Heretic Phantom to the field."

A ghostly, translucent figure in a robe and hood appeared in front of him with a low moan. (500 ATK)

"I end my turn," he said.

"Is this some sort of joke?" asked Leorin, as he made his first draw. "I assure you, I'm not amused…

"I summon Giant Rat!"

The large Earth recruiter appeared in front of him, baring its teeth. (1,400 ATK)

"Attack that Phantom!" he shouted.

Giant Rat got on all fours, and charged at the Fiend, snapping its teeth. The specter groaned, and shattered into pixels.

"It may have cost me some Life Points," said Hape, "but when Heretic Phantom is destroyed by battle while in Attack Mode, I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

"I end my turn…" said Leorin.

**(L: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 7,100)**

Hape drew another card.

"I summon Heretic Soldier!" he exclaimed.

A Warrior appeared in front of him, wearing an old-fashioned leather military jerkin, pants, and boots, holding a sword. He had pale skin and pale white hair…

Then Leorin noticed his eyes, which were reptilian, like those of a snake. (1,700 ATK)

"That's unpleasant," he said.

"Now I use his effect," continued Hape. "When Heretic Soldier is Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon another Level 4 or lower Monster from my hand with the word 'Heretic' in its name.

"So I'll summon Heretic Watchdog in Defense Mode."

A very vicious-looking hound appeared that seemed to be at least part-reptilian. It wore a collar that had three foot-long spikes jutting out from four directions. It sat in Defense Mode. (1,000 DEF)

"And now my Soldier will smash your Rat! Attack! Blade of the Pagan!"

Heretic Soldier swung his sword, and Giant Rat was blown into particles.

"I use Giant Rat's effect!" shouted Leorin.

The particles hung in the air, and then combined together again, transforming into a second Giant Rat. (1,400 ATK)

"I set one card facedown," said Hape, as a set card appeared behind his two Heretics, "and I end my turn…"

**(L: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 7,100)**

Leorin drew a card.

"First, I play Precious Cards from Beyond," he said, as a Continuous Spell Card appeared in front of him.

He held a card forward.

"Now, To Special Summon this little guy," he said, "I have to discard a Level 8 or higher Monster from my hand…

"So, I'll send Cosmo Queen to the Graveyard…"

He discarded the card.

"…and Special Summon Hardened Armed Dragon."

The small, bony Dragon appeared next to Giant Rat. (1,500 ATK)

"Next, I'll sacrifice both Monsters…"

The two Monsters vanished, and there was a burst of brilliant energy…

The Creator rose onto the field. (2,300 ATK)

"Because I sacrificed two Monsters to summon one," he continued, "Precious Cards from Beyond lets me draw two cards."

He made two draws.

"I'm only half-done!" he continued. "I'll ditch this card to use The Creator's effect, and bring Cosmo Queen back to the field."

He discarded Pious Warrior Rowen, and there was a blast of eldritch energy. A tall woman with a grim face, wearing a long, red robe and a large collar and an even larger, exotic headdress appeared next to The Creator. (2,900 ATK)

Hape smirked when he saw the Spellcaster.

"Nice hat," he said, sarcastically.

Leorin frowned.

"I can see what you're trying to do, Hape," he said. "You're trying to counter my divine creatures with a bunch of heretic ones. You're using this duel to try to challenge the beliefs that I stood for when I was a Knight of Arcadia so long ago.

"Well, it's time to see which is superior… Divinity or heresy."

He played a Spell Card.

"I activate Level Thunder!" he shouted. "Now, you take 100 points of times the combined Levels of my two Monsters!"

There was a clap of thunder, and lightning flashed, striking Hape.

Hape chuckled, as he held his chest.

"Not… bad…" he said.

"I'll show you not bad…" said Leorin. "Cosmo Queen, destroy Heretic Soldier with Cosmic Nova!"

Cosmo Queen put her hands together, and blasted a bolt of dark energy at the evil Warrior. He was blown into black globules.

"Now, The Creator will finish up…"

The Creator blasted its Fires of Creation, incinerating Heretic Watchdog.

"I use Heretic Watchdog's effect!" shouted Hape. "When it's destroyed by battle, I get to Special Summon a low-Level 'Heretic' Monster from my Graveyard…

"Except for another Heretic Watchdog, of course… So I'll bring back Heretic Soldier."

The pagan foot soldier appeared again, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,300 DEF)

"I end my turn," said Leorin.

**(L: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 4,300)**

Hape made a draw.

"I summon Heretic Guard," he said.

Another Warrior appeared. This one looked similar to Heretic Soldier, but wore a helmet, and carried a saw-toothed glaive. (1,200 ATK)

"And by Normal Summoning it, I'm allowed to Special Summon a Heretic Monster from my Graveyard, so long as it has 1,500 Attack Points or less."

Heretic Watchdog appeared again in Defense Mode. (1,000 DEF)

"I think I'll end there…"

Leorin made a draw.

"I set one card facedown," he said, as a set card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"And seeing as I now know what that mutt of yours can do, I'll be sure to attack it first!"

The Creator blasted its fiery bolt, incinerating the Watchdog a second time.

"I use its effect to Special Summon Heretic Phantom!" exclaimed Hape.

The ghostly spirit appeared, kneeling and shielding itself. (0 DEF)

"It won't save your Heretic Guard from Cosmo Queen!" shouted Leorin.

Cosmo Queen blasted her Cosmic Nova, and Hape groaned as the Warrior was blown apart.

**(L: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,600)**

"So what's the deal, Hape?" asked Leorin. "I expected you to come at me with both barrels loaded… Instead, you're barely putting up a fight."

Hape chuckled.

"Don't forget, old friend…" said Hape. "When the King of Games dueled Bakura in the first round of the Battle City finals, he took an early lead, but it wasn't all it appeared…"

Leorin stopped short.

_He's right… _he thought. _Bakura's Life Points were down to only 150! Bakura was one attack away from losing…_

_But then he revealed his true strategy… Dark Sanctuary… And all of a sudden, it was the Pharaoh who was in trouble…_

_Has Hape been doing the same thing? Luring me into a false sense of security?_

"I… I end my turn…" he said.

Hape drew a card.

"I summon Heretic Sorceress," he said.

He played the card, and a sinister–looking woman dressed in a revealing black outfit with a halter and knee-high boots, her hair tied in a long ponytail with dark eyebrows, holding a long staff, appeared in front of him. (1,700 ATK)

"Next, a Trap Card," he said, as his facedown card lifted up.

"Fruits of Kozaky's Studies. I get to look at the top three cards o my deck, and rearrange them in any order I desire."

He took the three cards off the top of his deck, and looked at them.

_Perfect… _he thought. _This should do nicely._

He made one adjustment, and put them back.

"Now I activate Heretic Sorceress' effect," he continued. "I send the top card from my deck to the Graveyard, and if it's a Monster, she can attack directly."

_And because he used Fruits of Kozaky's Studies, _thought Leorin, _it likely is. _

Hape took the top card from his deck, and flipped it around. The orange border confirmed that it was a Monster. He quickly discarded it.

"Attack him directly!" shouted Hape. "Blasphemous Blast!"

Heretic Sorceress pointed her staff, and fired a bolt of burning, black energy at Leorin, hitting him in the chest. He grunted in pain.

_Ow… _he thought.

"I set one card facedown," said Hape, as he set a card. "That will be all for now…"

**(L: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,600)**

Leorin made a draw.

_That facedown card is likely something to protect his Sorceress, _he thought. _But what he likely forgot is, due to Hardened Armed Dragon, The Creator can't be destroyed by card effects…_

_Still… The same thing can't be said for any of my other Monsters…_

"Creator!" he commanded. "Attack Heretic Sorceress!"

The Creator formed its ball of flames in its hands…

"I activate… Vigor of Heresy!" shouted Hape, as his Trap Card lifted up.

"This Trap moves my Heretic to Defense Mode, and prevents her from being destroyed by battle this round."

Heretic Sorceress keeled down, and shielded herself with her staff. (1,100 DEF) The Creator's blast glanced off.

Leorin paused for a minute.

"Fine…" he said. "What will protect your Soldier?

"Cosmo Queen, attack!"

Cosmo Queen blasted her dark bolt, blowing Heretic Soldier to pieces.

"Fortunately, he was in Defense Mode," said Hape.

Ben discarded a card from his hand.

"Now that your Trap Card has been sprung," he said, "I'll toss this to use The Creator's effect again, and summon Pious Warrior Rowen from the Graveyard."

In an aura of light, Rowen rose onto the field. She opened her eyes, and glared angrily at Hape. (1,800 ATK)

"I end my turn…" said Leorin.

Hape grinned as he made a draw.

"I move my Sorceress to Attack Mode…" he said, as Heretic Sorceress stood up. (1,700 ATK)

"Then, I summon Heretic Imp."

He played the card, and a nasty little winged devil appeared next to Heretic Phantom. (0 ATK)

"Now, by sacrificing Heretic Imp and one other Monster…" he continued.

Heretic Imp and Heretic Phantom vanished.

"…I get to Special Summon a high-Level Heretic from my Graveyard…

"I summon Heretic Commander Karr!"

Leorin gasped in shock as another Dark Warrior appeared. He wore a uniform that was similar to the other Heretic Warriors, but more formal, with a fancier helmet, holding a better quality sword and a shield. His face was more reptilian than the others, looking like a cross between a human's and a snake's, and his eyes were definitely those of a reptile's. (2,400 ATK)

What Leorin noticed most was the insignia on his shield. An apparently simple symbol: a backwards K inside a triangle.

But long ago, to him and his army, that was a symbol of death…

"I remember him…" said Leorin, with a hint of bile in his voice.

"Of course you do…" said Hape. "You remember how the Knights of Arcadia found towns torched and looted, with a strange symbol carved on what buildings remained. Then you found the villagers, impaled on sharp stakes outside of town, with the same symbol branded on their dead bodies, along with decapitated heads on pikes.

"You found this scene several times… Destroyed villages with mass-executions… With the same strange symbol…

"And then, you defended that town, and confronted the man who bore the symbol on his shield… The man who had ordered the deaths of all those innocents… The bloody warlord Karr, one of many who were leading Sertrous's dark forces."

"I defeated him once!" shouted Leorin, in anger. "I may have fled from Sertrous, but I stood my ground against that madman, and he paid dearly for all his crimes that day! It will be a pleasure to do it again…"

"Maybe you will, and maybe you won't," said Hape. "For you see, this is his Duel Monsters form, and due to his effect as a card, all Heretic Monsters on the field except Karr himself cannot be destroyed by battle now.

"And I'm also playing this…"

He played a Spell Card.

"Raregold Armor. By Equipping it to Heretic Sorceress, she becomes the only Monster you're allowed to attack."

The Sorceress's black clothing turned shining gold.

"But… If you think I'm only going to defend…"

He played another Spell Card.

"I play Riyoku!" he exclaimed. "Now I can steal half of Cosmo Queen's Attack Score, and give it to Karr."

Cosmo Queen's Attack Score fell down to 1,450, while's Karr's shot up to 3,850.

"Now Karr is more than strong enough to destroy The Creator," said Hape.

Heretic Commander Karr hissed. He leapt at the bronze titan, and with one mighty smash, it was blown to pieces.

"ERGH!" grunted Leorin.

"Now for your Queen…" said Hape.

Heretic Sorceress cast her dark spell again, and Cosmo Queen exploded into black shards.

**(L: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,600)**

"I end my turn," said Hape. "Which means Karr's Attack Score returns to 2,400. It's your move…"

Leorin made a draw.

_Rush Recklessly… _he thought, as he looked at it.

He looked at the other two cards in his hand: Stray Lambs and Felgrand Dragon.

He quickly set the Quickplay Spell in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

_I can't attack Karr, _he thought, _but… if I can fool him into attacking Rowen _with _Karr, I might be able to destroy him…_

"Attack Heretic Sorceress!" he shouted.

Rowen frowned, and rushed up to Heretic Sorceress, hitting the evil witch with her sword. She didn't shatter, but she grunted in pain.

"Karr may protect her," he said, "but your still take damage.

"It's your move…"

**(L: 4,200) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,500)**

Hape drew a card.

"Well, what do you know…" he said.

"I sacrifice both my Monsters…" he exclaimed.

Heretic Sorceress and Heretic Commander Karr turned into orbs of darkness.

"You're getting rid of Karr?" gasped Leorin, in disbelief.

"That's right," said Hape. "For a stronger Monster that I can _only _summon by sacrificing Karr!

"Behold…"

A tower of dark fire shot up on Hape's side of the field.

"I summon… _Dark Catalyst – First Heretic Darklord Avamerin!_"

Leorin had seen many of the Dark Fairies referred to collectively as Darklords… Monsters meant to represent fallen angels. This one, however, was more hideous than any he had seen before. Avamerin didn't even vaguely look like an angel anymore. His halo and wings were long gone. He was a bent, hunchbacked creature, with grey, warty skin, and a face that was a cross between that of a snake and a toad's, complete with a forked tongue. He wore armor that was rusted and broken, but held a sword made of black iron, that seemed to be in much better condition. (3,000 ATK)

"So that's what happened to him…" muttered Leorin.

He sighed, and looked at Rowen.

_Rush Recklessly isn't going to be enough, _he thought. _Sorry, Rowen…_

"Let me explain to you Avamerin's effect," said Hape. "He has the power to attack directly, so long as I cut his Attack Points in half…

"And there's more… You might have heard of the various Dark Forge cards that your allies have faced…"

He held up the last card in his hand.

"Tiberius didn't know about this one… I saved it for myself…

"I pay 1,000 Life Points to Equip Avamerin with Twisted Halo!"

Avamerin roared in pain, as an iron halo studded with cruel barbs and blades was thrust onto his head. Then he turned to Leorin, and his eyes glowed with rage…

"This Equip Spell renders him immune to all Spells and Traps except the Halo itself," continued Hape. "It has another effect, which we'll get into in a minute…

"For now…

"Attack him directly! Wrath of Defiance!"

The fallen angel's Attack Score fell to 1,500 as he lunged at Leorin, totally ignoring Rowen. Leorin screamed as the cursed sword cut him across the chest, tearing his shirt to shreds and opening a deep cut across his torso.

Leorin discarded what was left of his shirt, and held the wound…

"And due to another of Avamerin's effects," continued Hape, "those 1,500 Life Points you just lost are added to mine! It's one of the few celestial powers he had that he didn't lose when he fell."

**(L: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 3,000)**

"There's more…" said Hape. "Each time he deals damage, a Heresy Counter will be added to the Twisted Halo. I should defeat you before it gains four of these Counters… But if, by some chance, you manage to pad your points and I don't, then when it has four Counters, I can remove Avamerin and all Monsters in my Graveyard from play, and deal 500 points of damage to you for each one!"

Hape looked at him, and grinned evilly.

"It's your move…" he said.

Leorin drew a card.

"I play Stray Lambs…" he said, playing a card.

Two small, cute Lamb Tokens appeared next to Rowen. (0 ATK x2)

Hape crossed his arms, and shook his head.

"So, this is what your devotion to St. Cuthbert has given you?" he asked. "Some Mulan wanna-be and a couple of lost lambs."

Leorin looked at the Felgrand Dragon in his hand.

_If I can hold on one more turn, _he thought, _I can summon this guy, and use Rush Recklessly to defeat Avamerin! _

"I end my turn…" he said.

Hape drew a card.

"Well, what do I have here?" he said.

He flipped the card around.

"My Mystical Space Typhoon… Now let's see…

"You have two facedown cards… You're probably planning to summon a Monster with those Tokens, and seeing as you kept Rowen in Attack Mode after I summoned Karr, the set card you placed the turn after I summoned him is likely something that will either increase the Attack Score of one of your Monsters or decrease the score of one of mine.

"Given the average Attack Score of your best Monsters, that would be bad…"

He played the card, and the whirlwind blew across the field, blowing Rush Recklessly to pieces. Hape chuckled.

"You forget, Leorin…" he said. "It isn't hard for me to figure out what you're planning… I just have to think like you…

"And seeing as we both used to be the same person, doing that is as easy as taking a walk in the park!

"Avamerin, attack him directly again!"

Leorin roared again as the fallen angel slashed with his blade, opening another cut on his chest, crossing the one he had made the previous turn.

**(L: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 4,500)**

Leorin took some deep, gasping breaths.

He looked at Felgrand Dragon again.

_This guy isn't gonna do the trick… _he thought.

He drew a card.

Trade-In.

_This is my only chance… _he thought.

"I play… The Trade-In Spell Card!" he shouted. "By discarding this Level 8 Monster…"

He discarded Felgrand Dragon.

"I get to make two draws…"

He drew two cards.

He smirked a little.

"I give up my two Lamb Tokens…" he said.

The two Tokens turned into orbs of light.

"…to summon…"

There was a great explosion of light energy as a huge creature rose on his side of the field.

"Super Conductor Tyranno!"

A giant Dinosaur, covered with metal armor and surrounded by an aura of electricity loomed over Leorin's side of the field, and let out a great roar. (3,300 ATK)

"Thirty-three hundred Attack Points?" gasped Hape. "That breaks the 'rule of 3,000'!"

"I don't recall that little tradition ever being made an official rule of Duel Monsters," said Leorin.

"Destroy Avamerin! Electromagnetic Bolt Blast!"

The Dinosaur blasted a bolt of electromagnetic energy from its jaws, and the First Heretic screamed. The fallen angel clutched his chest and collapsed.

Leorin waited for a minute. Had he been destroyed?

One way to find out…

"Rowen, attack Hape directly!"

Rowen lifted her sword, and hit Leorin's darker half hard. Hape let out a holler and fell over.

He grunted in pain as he got up,

**(L: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,400)**

"I set one more card facedown," said Leorin, as a new set card appeared, "and I'll end my turn for now…"

Then, to his utter surprise, Avamerin stood up.

"WHAT?" said Leorin. "But… He was destroyed…"

"Yep," said Hape. "He sure was…"

Then Leorin realized that Avamerin was apparently mortally wounded. Something was happening to him…

"By defeating Avamerin," said Hape. "You've enabled me to release something even stronger…

"He was a Dark Catalyst… Don't you know what catalysts do?"

"I was never very good at chemistry…" said Leorin.

"It changes the rate of a chemical reaction," said Hape. "In this case, to get the desired result, I Equip the Dark Catalyst with a Dark Forge card, and then it has to die…

"In other words, I was actually counting on you to slay him…"

The deformed angel opened his mouth as if to scream, but his scream had barely begun to form before his head further deformed, and transformed into that of a snake with five jaws, and extended from his body on a blood-streaked, serpentine neck. Then, as the immense snake within coiled and flexed, the disgraced angel's ruined body flew apart in a kaleidoscopic shower of gore. Where once stood a humanoid form now coiled something far bigger and more monstrous… A shape that Leorin's mind could barely accept.

Leorin knew that it appeared serpentine only because that was the closest analogy that the mortal mind could assign to this Scion of Chaos that had once counted himself among the entourage of the Mad God, Tharizdun…

"Behold the rebirth of your greatest nemesis," exclaimed Hape. _"Dark Exarch – Prince of Heretics Sertrous!"_

(4,200 ATK)

Leorin closed his eyes and sighed.

"Well…" he said. "_That's _a surprise…"

"Eh?" said Hape.

"You brought back Karr, you brought back Avamerin…" said Leorin. "Now you expect me to be surprised that you brought back Sertrous?

"I remember him, yes… And he's just as ugly as I remembered…

"And you wanted to prove that my nature wasn't changed… You obviously had hoped that I would panic and flee from him again…

"Well, Hape… Just looking at him, I feel a lot of things… Loathing, hate, disgust, the desire to vomit… But strangely, I don't feel any fear this time…

"You see, your biggest mistake in this whole deal was having Marik confront me, and letting me gain my memories back…"

"I had no intention of him keeping his side of the bargain…" growled Hape.

"Well, thanks to Xane, he did," said Leorin, "and I remember all my past lives… All the battles I had where I fought demons, monsters, and the most sinister Doomdreamers, fighting the minions of Tharizdun, all out of an instinctual urge to make up for the time I betrayed my unit and ran from that beast like a coward.

"In a way, I've been atoning for it for countless centuries, and I didn't need memories to lose sight of my goal…

"And now that I have my memories too, fleeing from that abomination a second time is the very last thing on my mind…"

Hape looked at him hard.

"But you're still going to lose this duel!" he cursed.

He drew a card.

"Sertrous has 4,200 Attack Points in case you didn't notice," he said, "and he also has the ability to negate one Spell or Trap Card per turn. Once he crushes your Warrior maiden, it's all over!"

"Sertrous…"

"I activate… Threatening Roar!" shouted Leorin, as one of his facedown cards lifted up.

"Weren't you listening a minute ago?" said Hape. "Sertrous can negate that card."

The Trap Card shattered.

"Face it, Leorin, it's over! Sertrous, devour Pious Warrior Rowen!"

Sertrous drooled in anticipation as he looked at Rowen. Then he lunged at the young Warrior…

"I activate my _other _Trap!" shouted Leorin.

His other facedown card lifted up.

"I _was _listening, Hape!" he shouted. "I used Threatening Roar as a decoy!

"Now I can activate… Baton of the Hero! It won't stop your attack, but it will force your Monster to attack Super Conductor Tyranno instead of Rowen!"

Sertrous paused, as if unsure for a minute. Then it turned towards the huge Dinosaur, and bit it in two.

Leorin grunted, and held his chest.

**(L: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 2,400)**

_Okay… _he thought, nervously. _Maybe I'm a _little _afraid of it…_

Then Hape laughed.

"Look at that Warrior…" he laughed. "She's taking this pretty hard… She's crying!"

It was true. Rowen was on her knees, weeping.

"Oh yes…" said Leorin, with a grin. "Your cruelty has made her cry… And evil creatures fear the tears of a pious woman!"

Then Sertrous let out a moan.

"Huh?" said Hape.

He looked at his Monster, and gasped as its Attack Score started to plummet. (0 ATK)

"What happened?" he screamed.

"When a Light Monster is slain by a Dark one," said Leorin, "Rowen weeps, and the Monster who dealt the killing blow is struck by a curse, and rendered powerless until the end of my next turn!"

Hape glared at him angrily.

"It doesn't matter!" he shouted. "Even if you kill him, I can use his other effect and remove one Heretic Monster in my Graveyard from play to Special Summon him back to the field during the next turn."

_That's not good… _thought Leorin.

The one card left in his hand was The Warrior Returning Alive, which he couldn't even use. Even if he had a Warrior in his Graveyard, which he didn't, Hape would use Sertrous's effect to negate it. He needed a winner on his turn…

Hape set his last card on his Disk, and a facedown card appeared in his Spell Zone.

"Make your move," he said.

Leorin paused. He looked at the Prince of Heretics.

Forget a little afraid. He was downright terrified. Very few mortals could face a demon this powerful and not be scared.

But he wasn't going to run. He was certain that all the members of his doomed unit had been just as scared, but they had tried to fight this thing, even though they had perished. They had died with honor, while he had fled like a coward.

It wouldn't happen a second time…

He snatched the top card off his deck…

He threw it on his Disk.

"I summon Level Warrior!" he shouted.

A masked, cowled superhero in red, with a cape and yellow stars on his cowl and chest, appeared next to Rowen. (300 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together Level Warrior and Rowen to form a greater force…"

The two Warriors flew towards the ceiling of the crypt, and dissolved into motes of light…

"_The chaste huntress of the night will descend from the glades of Arborea and vanquish evil with her silver bow!"_

**(*4 + *3 = *7)**

"_Synchro Summon… Sacred Knight Diana!"_

A new female Warrior landed on the field; she vaguely resembled Rowen, having the same face, hair style and build, but instead of leather armor, she wore a halter and loincloth made of deerskin and leather moccasins, along with simple wooden and stone jewelry. She held a bow and a quiver of arrows. Her eyes were wild, like those of an animal's. (2,400 ATK)

She glared at Sertrous with a look of hate. She slowly fit an arrow into her bow, drew back the string, and aimed…

Then she fired, striking the Prince of Heretics in the gizzard. The abomination screamed, and then collapsed, exploding into a burst of vile slime and ichor.

"I activate… Defense Draw!" shouted Hape, as his Trap Card lifted up.

"Now your attack does no damage, and I get to make one draw!"

He drew a card.

"I hope your bimbo enjoyed that…" he said. "On my next turn…"

"The next turn will never come for you," said Leorin. "I activate Diana's effect.

"When she destroys a Dark Monster, I get to Special Summon a Light Monster from my Graveyard."

Super Conductor Tyranno leapt onto the field with a roar. (3,300 ATK)

Fear appeared in Hape's eyes, as he came to the sudden realization that he had failed…

"Attack him directly!" shouted Leorin.

Hape screamed as the huge Dinosaur hit him with its powerful electromagnetic blast…

**(L: 300) - - - - - - - - - - (H: 0)**

Hape fell to his knees, and his cards spilled to the floor. Holy fire started to consume them…

Leorin looked down at him.

"Why…" said Hape. "Why couldn't I beat you?"

"Because you were wrong…" said Leorin. "There are plenty of things that can change the nature of a man…

"But only if he _wants _to change…"

He looked hard at his fallen foe.

_So now what? _he thought. _Do I kill him? Will that get me my mortality back?_

Then he was startled as a light appeared in the back wall of the Crypt.

Hape turned around, and saw it too.

"What?" he said. "I… I didn't notice that before…"

Leorin pushed past him, and walked towards it. Hape slowly followed.

As they approached the light, a door slowly opened on the back wall.

"A secret door?" asked Hape.

"So it seems…" said Leorin.

He looked at Hape. He didn't seem to be a threat any longer, so he entered the secret room.

It seemed to be a personal burial chamber. And there were two sarcophagi.

"Two coffins…" said Leorin. "One of them is mine…"

He looked at Hape.

"But the same one is also yours… The other one… It belongs to someone else…"

Hape looked at him in wonder.

"I… I didn't know…" he said. "I thought I knew everything about you… But… It seemed a secret was hidden even from me…

"I was your mortality… But it seems that there are some things that I never knew… Because they belong to the immortal part of a person's soul…

"This other coffin…"

Leorin took Pious Warrior Rowen from the discard slot of his Duel Disk. He looked at the card for a long time.

Then they both looked at the other coffin for a long time. A warm feeling seemed to emit from it.

A feeling of love…

"We can end this peacefully, you know…" said Leorin. "My… _our _original incarnation has incredible power over the two of us. It can allow you to join with me… Then I can finish my final task, and the curse upon us can be ended once and for all…"

Hape looked at the other coffin. Then he looked at Leorin.

"Yes…" he said. "Yes, I will…

"But…"

"But what?" asked Leorin.

Hape grinned.

"But before I do," he said, with a sly smirk, "I'm gonna tell you where to find a little something that'll make that last task a whole lot easier…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**LEVEL THUNDER (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A cluster of gold and purple stars flying through hyperspace.

**Card Description: **Inflict damage to your opponent equal to 100x the combined Levels of all face-up Monsters you control.

_Note: "Level Thunder" was first used by Heitmann in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Lesson's Learned". Creative Credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BATON OF THE HERO (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Freed the Brave Wanderer leading Marauding Captain, Gaia the Fierce Knight, and Warrior Lady of the Wasteland into battle, with flags flying behind them.

**Card Description: **Activate only during your opponent's turn. Once during this turn, when your opponent declares an attack, you may select the attack target.

_Note: "Baton of the Hero" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "A Score to Settle (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HERETIC GUARD (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,300

**Card Description: **When this card is Normal Summoned, you may Special Summon 1 "Heretic" Monster with 1,500 ATK or less from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HERETIC SOLDIER (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,300

**Card Description: **When this card is Normal Summoned, you may Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Heretic" Monster from your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HERETIC WATCHDOG (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Beast/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,200  
**DEF:** 1,000

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Heretic" Monster from your Graveyard, except for a "Heretic Watchdog".

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HERETIC PHANTOM (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Zombie/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 2  
**ATK:** 500  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **If this card is destroyed by battle while in face-up Attack Position and you have no other cards on the field, you may draw 1 card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HERETIC SORCERESS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Spellcaster/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,700  
**DEF:** 1,100

**Card Description: **Once per turn, during your Main Phase 1, you can send the top card from your deck to the Graveyard. If the sent card is a Monster, this card can attack directly this turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HERETIC FAMILIAR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 1  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Special Summoned. You may Tribute this card and one other Monster you control to Special Summon 1 Level 5 or higher "Heretic" Monster from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**VIGOR OF HERESY (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A man in black iron armor holding a black iron shield with a skull in the center.

**Card Description: **Activate when a "Heretic" Monster is the target of an attack. Move that Monster to face-up Defense Mode. That Monster cannot be destroyed by battle this turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**HERETIC COMMANDER KARR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description: **All face-up "Heretic" Monsters you control except for "Heretic Commander Karr" cannot be destroyed by battle.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK CATALYST – FIRST HERETIC DARKLORD AVAMERIN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fairy/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 2,800

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Special Summoned. If this card is Tribute Summoned, at least 1 Tribute must be a "Heretic Commander Karr". When this card inflicts Battle Damage, increase your Life Points by the same amount as the Battle Damage inflicted. This card can attack your opponent directly. When this card attacks directly using this effect, reduce its ATK by half until the end of the Battle Phase.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK EXARCH – PRINCE OF HERETICS SERTROUS (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 12  
**ATK:** 4,200  
**DEF:** 3,000

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except via its own effect(s). You may Special Summon this card from your hand or deck during the End Phase of a turn where a "Dark Catalyst" Monster Equipped with a "Dark Forge" card is destroyed by battle. Once per turn, during your or your opponent's turn, you can negate the activation of a Spell or Trap Card and destroy it. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can remove a "Heretic" Monster in your Graveyard from play during your next Standby Phase to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK FORGE – TWISTED HALO (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Darklord Asmodeus crying out in pain as dark flames encircles his head.

**Card Description: **Equip only to a "Darklord" or "Fallen One" Monster. Pay 1,000 Life Points to Equip this card. The Equipped Monster cannot be targeted by the effects of any Spell or Trap Cards except this one. When the Equipped Monster inflicts Battle Damage, place 1 "Heresy Counter" on this card (max 4). When this card has 4 "Heresy Counters" on it, you may remove this card, the Equipped Monster, and every Monster in your Graveyard from play to inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent for each card removed. You can only control 1 "Dark Forge" card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**PIOUS WARRIOR ROWEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Tuner/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **This card cannot be used for a Synchro Summon except to summon a "Sacred Knight" Monster. When a LIGHT Monster you control, except this card, is destroyed by battle by your opponent's DARK Monster, reduce the ATK of that DARK Monster to zero until the End Phase of your next turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SACRED KNIGHT DIANA (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,400  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description: **_"Pious Warrior Rowen" + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

When this card destroys a DARK Monster as a result of battle, you may Special Summon 1 LIGHT Monster from your Graveyard. If a Monster Special Summoned by this effect is removed from the field, it is removed from play.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Dugan: My teammates and I are facing overwhelming odds. To stand a chance that we might survive, I'm forced to risk my very soul on a dangerous gamble. I can only hope that it pays off. **_

_**The three-on-three duel continues next chapter: "Dugan's Gambit; The Bond". It's coming soon.**_

_**I'm putting everything I've got into this next draw!**_


	56. Dugan's Gambit, The Bond

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-SIX**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Dugan's Gambit**

**The Bond**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Back at the Tabernacle of Utter-Darkness, one would think that the duel between the Shadowchasers and the Doomdreamers was all but over.

The Doomdreamers' side of the field consisted of Evil Hero Dark Gaia (4,800 ATK), Reign-Beaux, Overlord of Dark World (2,500 ATK), and Demon King Dragon Beelze. (3,000 ATK) They also had Sealed Mantra, Cloak and Dagger (with Dragonprince Jalal named as a target), and two set cards, one set by Lorelei, the other by Lareth.

All the Shadowchasers had was Caravan of the Ice Barrier (500 ATK) and one set card that Karl had set.

The scores stood with the Shadowchasers at 2,700 Life Points and the Doomdreamers far ahead at 11,700. Even worse, Karl was in no condition to continue. He was unconscious and unresponsive due to the merciless onslaught of attacks he had just taken, and he was clearly only minutes away from death.

Watching with eager anticipation was the Triad. The First and the Third were slowly sipping from goblets containing a beverage called Baatoran firewine, a special wine brewed from grapes grown in the fourth layer of Hell. Devils drank it all the time; most mortals found it far too potent. Some evil mortal wizards – like the First and the Third – could condition themselves to drink it, claiming to do so because it sharpened their wit, or simply just to prove how tough they were.

"_Now this is entertainment," _said the Second, who was never a big fan of cocktails himself.

The First looked at him.

"You said _that _about the War of 1812," he said.

"Karl, get up!" shouted Dugan.

"Karl, please…" begged Nichole.

"Forget it, people," said the First. "I doubt Mr. Hudson can hear you… Or do anything else after those three attacks he took. Of course, I doubt it matters. This duel likely won't get to his next turn anyway.

"I believe it was your move, Major Dugan."

Dugan looked at them. He wanted to unleash a torrent of the most foul obscenities imaginable at these three vile creatures who planned deliver the whole population of Chicago over to the slave pens of the cruelest of demon lords…

But he knew what he had to do…

"Hey, Triad!" he shouted. "You three are the leaders of this cult… I assume that you're incredibly powerful divine spellcasters."

"That we are, thank you!" said the Third, as she leaned back in her throne and crossed her legs. "And what of it?"

"Divine magic and healing magic go hand in hand," said Dugan. "You three could likely heal Karl if you wanted to."

They looked at him strangely.

"_Uh…_ _True…" _said the Second._ "But why exactly would we 'want to'?"_

"Listen…" said Dugan. "This battle is a blood sacrifice… Some rank-and-file cultists believe that when such a sacrifice is made, the god that receives the offering gets the soul of the victim. But you three seem smart. You likely know that that's usually a sham. Unless the victim is genuinely willing, a blood sacrifice is nothing more than an act of devotion by the priest conducting the ritual.

"Not even the most powerful god can take the soul of a mortal who has not willing given it, either by worshipping him or via some bargain. It's one of the few things that gods simply cannot do."

"True," said the First. "Your point being?"

"If you heal Karl right now," said Dugan, "I'll up the ante of this duel. I'll wager my soul against our success."

The First looked at Dugan with a look of incredible surprise…

Then he rubbed his beard with a curious expression. He looked at the Second and the Third.

Then he chuckled a little

"Very well…" he said. "It's a bet… I hope you realize what you just agreed to…"

His eyes glowed, and he started to chant. Karl glowed with golden energy, and he started to move…

Karl groaned as he started to get up, his wounds starting to fade…

"Ergh…" he moaned.

Then he looked at Dugan with shock.

"Dugan, have you lost your mind?" he shouted. "We're about to lose here!"

Dugan drew a card.

**(Dugan's Team: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (Tiberius's Team: 11,700)**

"We haven't lost yet…" said Dugan.

"As to whether I've lost my mind or not, the card you managed to set your last turn will determine that, my friend… I'm betting everything on it!"

The facedown card that Karl had set last turn lifted up.

"I activate, Hope for an Escape!" shouted Dugan. "Because we're losing by at least 1,000 points, I can lower our Life Points by 1,000 more, and then draw one card for every 2,000 points times the difference!"

His Life Points fell to 1,700.

"Hold on…" said Lorelei. "That means he gets to draw…"

"_Five _cards?" said Tiberius, in disbelief.

Dugan drew five cards.

"I put that Trap in my deck from my Side Deck…" said Karl. "I was kind of pessimistic going into this duel…"

"Well…" said Dugan, looking at his new hand, "my outlook has suddenly become a whole lot more _optimistic!_

"I play Foolish Burial!"

He played the Spell Card, and discarded Scrap Searcher from his deck.

"Now, I sacrifice Caravan of the Ice Barrier…"

The small Sea Serpent vanished.

"…for Scrap Golem!"

In a flash, the bulky robot appeared in front of him. (2,300 ATK)

"Next, I use Scrap Golem's effect to Special Summon Scrap Searcher to my opponent's side of the field."

The small bird made of foil with spotlights on its wings and head appeared in front of Lareth. (100 ATK)

"Wha?" said Lareth. "I don't want him!"

"I'll bet," said Dugan. "Because when he's Special Summoned, all Monsters except Scrap Monsters on your side of the field are destroyed."

Tiberius and Lorelei gasped as Dark Gaia and Reign-Beaux both exploded into pixels.

"Wait!" said Nichole. "Lareth's Monster survived…"

It was true. Demon King Dragon Beelze was looking at the three Shadowchasers smugly.

"You mean it can't be destroyed by Traps _or _Monster effects?" gasped Karl.

"It can't be destroyed _period,_" said Lareth. "Sorry to ruin your plans."

"Ain't life a bitch…" said Dugan. "Scrap Golem, attack Scrap Searcher!"

"WAIT!" shouted Karl. "DUGAN, STOP!"

It was too late. Scrap Golem opened the door on its chest, and fired a volley of missiles, blowing Scrap Searcher to pieces.

**(D: 1,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 9,500)**

Demon King Dragon Beelze glowed with energy, and laughed diabolically. (5,200 ATK)

"It got stronger…" gasped Dugan.

"I forgot to mention…" said Karl. "It gains Attack Points when the controller takes damage…"

Dugan set three cards in his Disk, and three facedown cards appeared in his Spell Zone.

"Make your move, Tiberius," he said.

Tiberius drew one card.

He looked at it. Stone Statue of the Aztecs.

_Feh… _he thought.

"Demon King Dragon Beelze," he ordered, "wipe that pile of junk off the map!"

The Dragon from Hell roared, and blasted its Plague of Blasphemy at Scrap Golem…

"I activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Dugan.

The three Doomdreamers gasped as the energy shield shot up, and the Shadowchasers' score shot up by 5,200 points.

"You big idiot!" shouted Lorelei.

"Seems we're back in this!" said Nichole, with a grin.

Tiberius angrily threw the Stone Statue of the Aztecs on his Disk, and it appeared set on the field.

"I end my turn!" he shouted.

**(D: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 9,500)**

Nichole drew a card.

"All right folks," she said. "First, I use the effect of Scrap Golem to summon Scrap Beast from my Graveyard."

Scrap Beast materialized on the field. (1,600 ATK)

"Next I play… Forbidden Chalice!"

She played a Spell Card from her hand.

"By playing this card, Demon King Dragon Beelze gains 400 Attack Points…. But… It loses its effects.

"That means it loses the Attack Points it gained last turn, and I can destroy it by battle!"

Beelze grunted in disgust. (3,400 ATK)

"Well, sure," said Tiberius. "Assuming you can summon a Monster with 3,400 Attack Points."

Nichole played a card, and Amazoness Blowpiper appeared in front of her. (800 ATK)

"Not even close!" laughed Tiberius.

Then he realized something.

"Unless…"

Nichole played a Spell Card. Amazoness Spellcaster appeared, and the aged Amazon shaman started to cast her spell. Amazoness Blowpiper shot up to an Attack Score of 3,000, while Demon King Dragon Beelze fell to 1,200.

Not wasting any time, Nichole pointed, and Blowpiper put her blowgun to her lips. She fired her dart, and Beelze screamed. The Dark Dragon exploded into shards.

"Ergh…" said Tiberius.

"Now, Scrap Golem…" said Nichole. "Wipe out his last Monster!"

The Golem fired its missiles, and Stone Statue of the Aztecs was blown into little pieces of rock.

"Scrap Beast, attack Tiberius directly!" ordered Nichole.

"Use it Tiberius!" cursed Lareth. "That's what I put it there for!"

"We won't let you ruin our plans…" said Tiberius, as Lareth's facedown card lifted up. "I activate a very powerful Trap Card…"

Lightning flashed, and an eerie dark glow mist covered the floor.

"I activate Ghoul Summoner!"

Lightning flashed again, and with a roar, Demon King Dragon Beelze appeared again. (3,000 ATK)

"Ghoul Summoner?" asked Nichole. "I… I never heard of it…"

"Neither have I…" said Karl.

"I admit, I'm clueless too…" said Dugan.

Sal beeped for a minute.

"_I found some information on it," _she said. _"It's trouble, I'll tell you that…"_

"It's not exactly a common card," said Lareth. "But it's part of my ultimate strategy for using this Monster… In a way, I'm almost glad that you managed to destroy Beelze… Now that Ghoul Summoner has brought Beelze back from the Graveyard, it can really strut its stuff…"

Nichole paused.

"Well, my attack is called off, of course," she said.

She set one card in her Disk, and it appeared in her Spell Zone.

"I'll set that, and my turn is over…"

**(D: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 7,700)**

"My move…" said Lorelei.

She stepped forward, and drew a card.

"First thing I'm going to do," she said, "is activate this Trap…"

The facedown card she had set during her last turn lifted up.

"The Forces of Darkness. With this, I get to recover two Dark World Monsters from the grave."

Beiige, Vanguard of Darkworld and Broww, Huntsman of Darkworld slipped out of her discard slot, and she took both.

Then she opened the Field Slot on her Disk.

"Now, I'll play a new Field," she said, as she played the card she had drawn. "Gate of the Dark World!"

A spooky mist covered the ground, and an ominous set of steel doors rose behind the three Doomdreamers.

"I can use the effect of this Field Spell once per round," she continued. "By removing one Fiend in my Graveyard from play, and discarding one from my hand, I can draw one card."

Fabled Raven slipped out of her discard slot, and she placed it inside her robe. Then she discarded Broww, and made one draw.

"And because the card I discarded was Broww, his effect activates, and I get to make an _additional _draw!"

She drew another draw.

"Next, I'll use the effect of Ghoul Summoner! By tossing one card from my hand, I can Special Summon another Synchro Monster from my Graveyard… However… I take damage equal to the Special Summoned Monster's Attack Score."

She discarded a card, Zure, Knight of Dark World. Infernal Flail Golem appeared in front of her. (2,400 ATK) Lorelei held her stomach as pain shot through her torso.

"It hurts…" she said, "but it's a _good _kind of hurt, because each time I take damage, Demon King Dragon Beelze gets stronger…"

The three-headed Dragon's eyes glowed. (5,400 ATK)

"Man, that _is _a pretty sound strategy!" said Karl.

"Seems I wasn't as dumb as some people thought I was…" said Lareth, casting a glance at the Triad.

The Triad didn't respond.

"Oh, and by the way," continued Lorelei, "my Field Spell also increases the Attack Score of all Fiend-Type Monsters on the field by 300 points. In case you forgot, this Golem counts as a Fiend."

(2,700 ATK)

"And I'm not done…"

She took Beiige from her hand, and placed it on her Disk. The Vanguard of Dark World appeared. (1,600 ATK) –) (1,900 ATK)

"You may remember," she continued, "I discarded a Monster named Grapha, Dragon God of Dark World, to destroy your Scrap Archfiend…

"Well, by returning a Dark World Monster to my hand, I can summon him back to the field!"

Beiige vanished, and a much bigger Fiend appeared with a roar of bloodlust. It combined the worst aspects of a dragon and a hideous demon, with grey scales covered with sharp, serrated edges and glowing, red eyes, standing upright on its hind legs. Vile saliva dripped from rows of sharp teeth, and it reeked of death and decay. (2,700 ATK) –) (3,000 ATK)

"All right, that's it," said Nichole. "I'm not waiting to see what comes next…"

Dugan's second facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Threatening Roar!"

Lorelei frowned.

"So be it," she said. "I'll leave it to Lareth to finish you off…"

She set a card, and a facedown card appeared behind her Monsters.

"I end my turn…"

**(D: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 5,300)**

_Okay, Karl, _thought Karl. _You were given a second chance… Don't blow it…_

He made a draw.

"Hmm…" he said.

"Just in case this doesn't work," he said, "I use the effect of Amazoness Blowpiper… And my target will be...

"Grapha, Dragon God of Dark World!"

Blowpiper put her weapon to her lips, and fired her dart, hitting the hideous Fiend in the neck. It roared in pain. (2,500 ATK)

"Now, I use Scrap Golem's effect to Special Summon Scrap Searcher to my opponent's side of the field again!"

"Oh no you don't!" shouted Lorelei.

Her facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Crevice into the Different Dimension!" she shouted.

"This lets me name one Attribute, and remove two Monsters with that Attribute in either Graveyard from play.

"No, I'll name Earth, and remove Scrap Searcher, and so that Nichole doesn't get any ideas, Amazoness Swords Woman as well."

Scrap Searcher fell out of Dugan's discard slot, and Swords Woman fell out of Nichole's.

"No problem," said Karl. "I said, 'if this doesn't work', remember? If Demon King Dragon Beelze can't be destroyed, then there's only one way to stop him."

Dugan's third facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he shouted.

Once again, Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier appeared in front of him. (100 ATK)

Secret Guards, Blowpiper, and Scrap Beast looked at each other…

Then the three Monsters leapt towards the ceiling… They started to fade into light as Karl chanted…

"_The bond between myself and my teammates will unite to create a force that will strike down the abomination in one mighty blow!"_

**(*4 + *3 + *2 = * 9)**

"_Come forth… Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"_

Trishula landed where the three Monsters had been. He glared at the three Doomdreamers with a stern glance.

"No!" shouted Lareth. "You can't!"

"I can and I will!" shouted Karl. "This is payback! Both for me, and Dugan and Nichole's Monsters that you just banished!"

Demon King Dragon Beelze vanished in a flash of light, the Ghoul Summoner card going with it. Then the last card in Lorelei's hand, Beiige, vanished. Then Sealed Beast Niburu fell out of Lareth's discard slot.

"And I'm not done…" said Karl.

Trishula blasted its freezing Pulse, and Grapha screamed before exploding into pixels.

"Ergh…" said Lorelei.

Karl took the one card in his hand, and set it on his Disk. A set Monster appeared next to Trishula. Then Scrap Golem shielded itself in Defense Mode. (1,400 DEF)

"I end my turn…" he said.

Lareth was breathing hard…

**(D: 6,200) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 5,100)**

Deep, convoluted gasps of rage…

"Hudson…" he said, in a vile tone. "This wound you have inflicted upon me…

"I will cauterize it with the blood from your dying corpse!"

He drew a card.

"Man…" said Karl. "That ranked about a nine on the corny villain banter meter."

"Shut up!" shouted Lareth, as he played the card. "I play The Beginning of the End! A fitting card, as I guarantee, its activation does mark the beginning of the end for you.

"Because the number of Dark Monsters in my Graveyard numbers at least seven, I can remove five from play to draw three times!"

He took both copies of Sealed Beast Nunurao, Dark Tinker, Sealed Beast Tssng, and Dark Resonator from his discard slot, and put them inside his robe. Then he made three draws.

He looked at the three draws, and the one card he already had.

He played one of his new cards.

"Seal of Sale?" asked Karl.

"You remember it, do you?" asked Lareth. "You draw twice, but for three turns, I can Normal Summon Sealed Beast Monsters with one less sacrifice than usual."

Karl made two draws.

"Uh, you do realize," he said, "that in this duel, Dugan and Nichole's turns count? Unless you use Ultimate Offering, you'll only be able to benefit from that effect on one of your turns… This one…"

"It doesn't matter!" shouted Lareth. "I sacrifice Infernal Flail Golem…"

The large Golem vanished.

"…for Sealed Beast Chthonic!"

The Sealed Beast that appeared was just as big as Niburu, was broad and corpulent, with grey skin. It had a thick tail and muscular arms with thick-fingered hands. Its face resembled a pachyderm's, only without the ears, with a smaller trunk, and with bigger tusks. (2,500 ATK)

"Huh?" said Karl. "You sacrificed that Golem to summon something weaker?"

"It may have less Attack Points," said Lareth, "but when Chthonic battles a Fusion, Ritual, or Synchro Monster, that Monster's Attack Score falls all the way to zero.

"Attack his Dragon! Seismic Smash!"

Sealed Beast Chthonic trumpeted, and slammed both its fists into the ground. Trishula wailed in agony as its Attack Score fell to nothing, and it was blown into shards. Karl was thrown backwards, landing on his behind.

"Karl!" shouted Nichole.

"I'm okay!" gasped Karl. "Didn't hurt as much as Beelze's attack did…"

Lareth frowned. He set one card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

"It's your move, Major Dugan," he said.

**(D: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 5,100)**

Dugan drew a card.

_Lareth is truly a very dangerous man… _he thought. _But he made one critical mistake just then, and it's going to cost him dearly…_

Karl's set Monster flipped face-up, and Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier appeared. (1,500 ATK)

"I use Scrap Golem's effect to bring back Scrap Beast one more time!" he shouted.

Once again, Scrap Beast bounded onto the field. (1,600 ATK)

Then, Scrap Beast and Scrap Golem flew towards the ceiling, dissolving into a cluster of stars.

**(*4 + *5 = *9)**

Scrap Twin Dragon lowered onto the field, glaring at the three Doomdreamers. (3,000 ATK)

The First looked at the Third. Then he slapped her across the face.

"What was that for?"shouted the Third

"For saying 'I told you so'," growled the First.

"I didn't!" cried the Third.

"Yeah, well…" growled the First, "you were going to…"

"I use Scrap Twin Dragon's effect on Cloak and Dagger, and Sealed Beast Chthonic!" shouted Dugan.

His Call of the Haunted shattered, and the Trap Card and Lareth's Monster vanished, appearing in his hand.

"I activate, my Spell Card!" shouted Lareth, as his Quickplay Spell lifted up. "And it's the third boon I gained from the Altar of Arcane Powers… Fires of Doomsday!"

Two Doomsday Tokens appeared in front of him. (0 DEF x2)

"Seems I'm safe this turn," he said with a grin.

Then Dugan grinned. He looked at Nichole's facedown card.

Then he activated it.

"I activate Amazoness Reinforcements!" he shouted. "Since you Special Summoned Monsters, I get to Special Summon one of Nichole's."

Amazoness Fighter leapt out of the card with a shout. (1,500 ATK)

"Sure, her effect is negated," continued Dugan, "and she can't be used for a Tribute Summon or a Synchro Summon… But she'll do the job…"

First Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier blasted a bolt of freezing vapor, eradicating one of the Tokens. Then Fighter punched the other one with her fist, squashing it. Finally, Scrap Twin Dragon shot its Toxic Blaze, and Lareth screamed as it hit him directly.

**(D: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 2,100)**

"Seems this battle has turned around completely, you three," said Dugan. "My turn is over… So what else do you have, dare I ask?"

Tiberius made a scowl, and then drew one card.

He looked at it. Then he looked at Lorelei and Lareth.

"If I may?" he asked.

"Do whatever it takes!" shouted Lorelei.

Tiberius played the card, which was Pot of Avarice.

"Because my partners and I share one Graveyard," he said, "this card can be used to recycle all our Monsters."

Dark Gaia and Infernal Flail Golem fell out of his discard slot, Broww and Goldd fell out of Lorelei's, and Dark Wolf Seirios fell out of Lareth's. The three Doomdreamers shuffled their decks, and Tiberius made two draws.

He gave a look of surprise.

"I remove two Rock Monsters from play…" he said.

He placed Stone Statue of the Aztecs and Bro Gargoyle inside his robe…

Then an earthquake hit the room, and a colossal form slowly started to rise out of the ground…

"Dark Gaia was okay…" said Tiberius. "But sometimes, you can't beat the original!"

The three Shadowchasers looked up in awe at the titanic form of Gaia Plate the Earth Giant. (2,800 ATK)

"And when this Monster battles," said Tiberius, "the opposing Monster's Attack Score is cut in half!

"Now, if Amazoness Fighter has truly lost her effect, attacking her would do a lot of damage…

"But then, I'm not stupid…

"Attack his Dragon! Earthshattering strike!"

Dugan dove for cover as his Synchro was reduced to an Attack Score of 1,500, and Gaia threw a punch that blew it into inert pieces of metal.

Dugan got up, holding his chest.

"I use Scrap Twin Dragon's effect…"

Scrap Goblin appeared in front of him. (500 DEF)

Tiberius set the other card in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

"Nichole…" said Dugan. "It's up to you…"

**(D: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 2,100)**

Nichole made a draw.

"No problem, Dugan," she said, "I think I can just about wrap this up!

"I summon Amazoness Scouts!"

She played the card, and the two Amazoness children appeared in front of her. (500 ATK)

"Now, I Tune together them, Shock Troops of the Ice Barrier, and Scrap Goblin…"

The three Monsters soared towards the ceiling, turning into a glowing aura of energy…

"_The power possessed by three Shadowchasers will combine to form one who holds our legacy in his hands… Merge to form the heart and soul that is possessed by all, and vanquish the darkness…"_

**(*3 + *2 + *3 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Dragonprince Jalal!"_

In an aura of pure light, Jalal's avatar, garbed in his crimson armor and holding his shining sword, appeared in front of them. (2,500 ATK)

"Glad you could make it, boss," said Nichole. "Now then… Because I Tuned three Monsters for this Synchro Summoning, Jalal has three Fortune Counters.

"And by removing all three, he can destroy any card on the field.

"So then…"

Jalal lifted his blade, and it glowed with eldritch energy. Gaia Plate the Earth Giant shuddered for a minute, and then cracks started to appear over its rocky hide…

Then it fell apart, collapsing into a pile of rubble.

"You're defenseless!" shouted Nichole.

Jalal rushed at Tiberius.

"Not yet, we aren't!" he replied.

His facedown Spell Card lifted up.

"It's called Shield Wall!" he shouted. "And it summons four Shield Tokens to defend me!"

Four statues of men holding shields rose up in front of the Doomdreamers. (1,000 DEF x4) Jalal's sword struck one, and it was blown to shards.

"Fighter, destroy another one!" shouted Nichole.

Fighter kicked another statue, blowing it to scrap.

"I end my turn!" said Nichole, as she put her hand on her hip.

"My move!" shouted Lorelei.

She drew a card.

"Once again, I use the effect of my Field Spell," she said. "I remove one Fiend in my Graveyard from play, and discard one, to draw one card…"

She placed Zure inside her robe, and discarded the card she had just drawn. Then she made a draw.

"The Fiend I just discarded was Snow, Magician of Dark World."

An evil-looking female Fiend wearing a white skirt and a cape briefly appeared behind her.

"And due to her effect," continued Lorelei, as Snow faded away, "I get to take any card from my deck with the words 'Dark World' in its name…"

She took a card from her deck.

"I choose this one! The Spell Card, Gateway to Dark World!"

She quickly played it.

"Now, by playing it, I get to bring back a Dark World Monster from my Graveyard!

"Give you one guess who it is…"

The evil eyes of Grapha, Dragon God of Dark World appeared first, and then the rest of the creature appeared, looking hungrily at the two Warriors. (2,700 ATK)

"Don't forget," continued Lorelei, "with Gate of the Dark World surrounding us, all Fiends gain a 300-point Field bonus…"

(3,000 ATK)

"Now… Attack Dragonprince Jalal! Dark Decay!"

The Dragon God of Dark World roared, and breathed a vile cloud of filth and offal at Jalal. He grunted, and then turned to dust. Nichole grunted in pain.

Lorelei chuckled.

"Boy, that was therapeutic," she said. "I end my turn…"

**(D: 1,900) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 2,100)**

Karl made a draw.

He looked hard at his three cards.

"I remove Secret Guards from play," he said, "to Special Summon Aqua Spirit!"

He pocketed the card, and the watery nereid appeared. (1,600 ATK)

"Next, she and Amazoness Fighter will finish off those two Tokens."

There was a blast of water from Aqua Spirit, and a mighty kick from Fighter, and the last two statues were blown to pebbles.

Karl set his final two cards into his Disk, and they appeared in his Spell Zone. He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn, and the Seal of Sale card vanished.

"My move…" said Lareth, as he made a draw.

"I use the effect of Aqua Spirit," shouted Karl. "She moves Grapha to Defense Mode!"

A blast of Water hit the Dragon God of Dark World, and he growled before kneeling and crouching on his knees. (1,800 DEF)

"You don't say…" said Lareth. "Well then… Why don't I just summon Sealed Beast Nyp Gonon."

He threw the card on his Disk, and the long, winged Sealed Beast appeared. (900 ATK)

"You remember this Monster from our last duel, right?" asked Lareth. "When it battles a Monster, it gains 200 Attack Points times the Level of the opposing Monster.

"Attack the Aqua Spirit! Shadow Lightning!"

Nyp Gonon shrieked, and blasted dark lightning bolts at the elemental spirit, rising to an Attack Score of 1,700. She splattered into a puddle of liquid.

Lareth set one of his two cards on his Disk, and then nodded.

**(D: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 2,100)**

"It's time to end this…" said Dugan.

He drew a card.

"End it once and for all!"

Lareth's facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Cloak and Dagger again!" he shouted. "I know that each of you have a copy of Dragonprince Jalal, so I'm naming that card again!"

Dugan shook his head.

"Nice move," he said, "but it won't save you…"

One of the two Trap Cards that Karl had set lifted up.

"I activate Reincarnation Ring!"

Amazoness Fighter flew into the sky above the Gate of the Dark World, closed her eyes, and shimmering stars started to circle around her.

"This is what teamwork is all about," said Dugan. "I'm using Karl's Trap and Nichole's Monster to bring back the tool that I'll use to win this duel!

"By sacrificing Fighter, I can Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard that's exactly twice her Level."

Fighter faded away…

Then, Scrap Dragon appeared with a low growl. (2,800 ATK)

"Next, I use his effect," said Dugan. "So I hope you three weren't getting too attached to your Dragon God."

Amazoness Reinforcements shattered and Grapha let out a bloodcurdling scream…

Then the huge Fiend collapsed to the floor, and was silenced. He shattered like glass.

"It's over, pal," said Dugan. "Scrap Dragon… Destroy Sealed Beast Nyp Gonon!"

"It's not over yet!" shouted Lareth. "My Sealed Beast will gain 1,600 Attack Points right before your attack hits it."

As he said, the Reptile's Attack Score shot up to 2,500 just before a mighty blast from Scrap Dragon blew it to pieces.

"So this duel will continue…"

**(D: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 1,800)**

"Sorry, Lareth," said Dugan. "But you won't escape defeat this time…"

Karl's other facedown card lifted up.

"I activate Synchro Out!"

Scrap Dragon turned into a large globe of light.

"You may remember," said Dugan, "that when I Synchro Summed Scrap Dragon the first time, I Tuned together Scrap Beast and Scrap Chimera to do so…

"And by sending it back to my Extra Deck, those two Monsters now return to the field."

The two Beasts appeared for what would be the final time. (1,600 ATK) (1,700 ATK)

Nothing more needed to be said. Scrap Chimera and Scrap Beast blasted bolts of flames from their jaws, and Lareth let out a scream…

**(D: 1,800) - - - - - - - - - - (T: 0)**

He fell over.

"This isn't over…" he cursed.

The demonic Field Spell and the two Scraps faded away.

"Your Life Points are at zero, Lareth…" said Dugan. "Unless you've got some sort of Relay Soul card ready to spring, it's about as over as it can get…

"Besides… Judging from the health of your Tabernacle, I think it's pretty much over."

The three Doomdreamers looked around in shock. It was true. The Tabernacle of Utter Darkness was quickly wilting and rotting.

The First was about to say something, but magical interference started to break the holographic screen apart. Then it vanished completely, as if the power the Triad had been using to project it had been completely cut off.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SHIELD WALL**** (Spell Card)**

**Quickplay Spell**

**Image: **A statue of an armored man holding a shield.

**Card Description: **Special Summon 4 "Shield Tokens" (Rock-Type/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 1,000/DEF 1,000) to your side of the field in Defense Position. A "Shield Token" cannot be Tributed for a Tribute Summon. If a "Shield Token" is moved to Attack Position, it is destroyed.

_Note: "Shield Wall" was first used by Grerimo in the original anime episode "A New Evil (Part 2)" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SYNCHRO OUT (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **Energy being emitted from a glowing portal in the sky.

**Card Description: **Select 1 face-up Synchro Monster you control. Send the selected Synchro Monster back to your Extra Deck. If the Monsters that were used for the Synchro Summon of the selected Monster are in your Graveyard, Special Summon them. Destroy them during the End Phase.

_Note: "Synchro Out" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "French Twist (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**REINCARNATION RING (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **A golden ring, twisted to resemble an infinity symbol, floating in space between planets.

**Card Description: **Tribute one Monster you control. Special Summon from your Graveyard 1 Monster whose Level is equal to that of the Tributed Monster x2. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the Equipped Monster. When the Equipped Monster is removed from the field, destroy this card.

_Note: "Reincarnation Ring" was first used by the imposter Jack Atlas in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Will the Real Jack Atlas Please Stand Up? (Part 2)" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**GHOUL SUMMONER (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **A robed and hooded zombie kneeling in a dark cemetery. A beam of light pierces it from above, and a dragon made of blue energy looms behind it.

**Card Description: **Activate during a turn when a Synchro Monster was destroyed and sent to your Graveyard. Special Summon the destroyed Synchro Monster. If this card leaves the field, destroy the Special Summoned Monster. If the Special Summoned Monster leaves the field, destroy this card. You may discard 1 card in your hand to select 1 Synchro Monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon the selected Monster and take damage equal to its base ATK.

_Note: "Ghoul Summoner" was first used by Yusei in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode 136. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. _

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**AMAZONESS REINFORCEMENTS (Trap Card)**

**Continuous Trap**

**Image: **Amazoness Fighter grappling with Dark Lucius LV6 in the foreground, while Amazoness Swords Woman and Amazoness Paladin rush down a hill in the background towards them with their weapons drawn.

**Card Description: **Activate when your opponent Special Summons 1 or more Monsters. Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Amazoness" Monster from your Graveyard. Its effect is negated, and it cannot be used as a Tribute for a Tribute Summon or used as a Synchro Material Monster. If this card is destroyed, destroy the Monster Special Summoned by this card. If the Monster Special Summoned by this card is destroyed, destroy this card.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SEALED BEAST CHTHONIC (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Reptile/Effect  
**Attribute:** Dark  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **This card is considered a Normal Monster when in the Graveyard or on the field when you do not control a "Sealed Mantra". If you control at least 1 "Sealed Mantra", it is treated as an Effect Monster with the following effect:

* When this card battles a Fusion, Ritual, or Synchro Monster, reduce that Monster's ATK to zero during damage calculation only.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Leorin: Is it truly over? Has the Torment truly ended?**_

_**Maybe, maybe not… You'll have to wait until next chapter to find out. **_

_**The title would obviously give it away, so let's suffice to say, it's coming soon. **_


	57. The Embrace, The Dark Champion

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-SEVEN**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**The Embrace**

**The Dark Champion**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

The three Doomdreamers watched in horror as the Tabernacle of Utter Darkness withered and died.

"The altar…" gasped Lareth.

He looked at the three Shadowchasers with a look of pure hate.

"You defaced the altar of Tharizdun, you miserable…"

"Ain't that a shame…" said Dugan.

Then they were all startled by a ringing.

Dugan pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.

"Boss?" he said in surprise, putting it to his ear.

"Yeah, it's me, Dugan," said Jalal. "The barriers surrounding that place are fading. We should be ready to move in shortly. Are Nichole and Karl all right?"

"They should be," replied Dugan. "Tell Headquarters that three prisoners are coming in a few minutes that require max security."

"I'm not going to jail…" muttered Lareth.

Then he slowly reached into his robe, and pulled something out.

It was a handgun. A cheap Saturday night special.

"Oh, come on, Lareth!" said Tiberius. "Don't embarrass us! You do know that even standard Shadowchasers' equipment makes that thing about as useful as a water pistol?"

"He's right!" said Lorelei. "If that could stop them, you think we'd have heard about it by now!"

"I'm fully aware of that…" said Lareth.

Then he pointed it… At Tiberius and Lorelei.

"What are you…" said Lorelei.

Then, to the horror of the three Shadowchasers, Lareth fired twice, hitting his two allies in the stomachs.

Tiberius and Lorelei fell to the floor as Lareth discarded the weapon and fled to the back of the room. He tore a curtain aside, revealing a stairway going up.

It took the two wounded Doomdreamers a minute to realize something – they had been grievously injured. Their regenerative powers had faded with the Tabernacle's powers…

…they were dying…

The three Shadowchasers rushed to aid them as Lareth dashed up the stairs. As they did, the tentacles that had seized Dugan's blunderbuss and Nichole and Karl's swords shriveled, releasing the weapons. A minute too late for them to have prevented Lareth's traitorous action.

"Jalal!" shouted Dugan into his phone. "Emergency change of plans! I'm sending two prisoners straight to the infirmary! They have gunshot wounds and are bleeding heavily!"

"That snake…" said Nichole. "He double-crossed his partners to cover his escape…"

"Oh, don't worry…" said Karl. "He's not _going_ to escape…

"We climbed about fifty flights of stairs to get here, and this was the most important room in the complex… Logic states that the stairway he took can only lead to one place…

"The roof. He's only getting away if he can fly."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Karl was right, of course. Lareth climbed the final stairway to the part of the Temple of All-Consumption where he could climb no higher. He was on the roof, under the storm clouds…

Under the eyes of Tharizdun…

He realized there was no-where else to go. He was trapped. For a minute, he considered leaping to his death…

But then, he realized he had one other option…

He fell to his knees… A cold rain started to fall… He took the mask off his face, and threw it aside.

"Dread Tharizdun…" he said, reaching his hands towards those eyes looking down. "When I turned ten years old and you first spoke to me in my nightmares, I swore I would always be loyal…

"And I proved it a day later by offering the lives of my parents… I did so without a second thought…

"Time and again over the years, I have proven my loyalty as the Champion of Elemental Evil, and loyal I remain!

"I simply ask now for what I was promised! Our bargain still stands, and I am prepared to receive the test that I have been preparing for all my life! Give me what I require!"

The evil eyes looked down upon him. Lightning flashed. The rain fell on his face.

Then an orb of dark energy fell from the clouds, like a sinister falling star. Lareth stood up, and caught it…

He stood up and looked at it… It was a small fruit, shaped like a pear, with glossy black skin.

The evil eyes faded away as thunder rumbled…

Without hesitation, he bit into it…

Then he screamed…

For a few seconds, he thought his god had betrayed him. Pain wracked every pore of his body. He keeled over as incredible agony shot through him…

But then, with the pain, he felt strength… His body wasn't dying… It was changing…

His muscles bulged. The seams on his armor broke and his Doomdreamer robes ripped to shreds as he grew to half-again his size. His eyes turned blood-red. He raised his arms to the heavens and roared in pure bloodlust… Lighting flashed through the sky… A thunder storm like no other was starting…

At that moment, Dugan, Nichole, and Karl rushed onto the roof.

"Holy!" shouted Karl.

"Nothing holy about this," said Nichole. "Seems Lareth has had a growth spurt of some sort…"

Lareth the Beautiful turned to them, his title more of a contradiction than ever before. He now stood eight feet tall, and was hulking. His face was not only scarred, but seemed twisted into a permanent scowl. His skin had turned the color of a bruise, and his hair was wine-red. His hands were now more like claws, and his eyes were pools of red flames.

"Yeah!" he roared, now in a voice that clearly wasn't human. "They sure know how to pack the vitamins and minerals into Abyssal fruit!

"After countless worshippers of Tharizdun have tried and failed… He has finally chosen me as his avatar!"

"Dugan…" said Nichole. "You said it yourself, the Great Treaty is pretty much moot right now…"

Dugan aimed his weapon at the madman and fired, hitting him in the chest…

Lareth simply crossed his arms, and chuckled.

"Try a stronger setting!" shouted Karl.

"Uh, Karl…" said Dugan. "That _was _the strongest setting…"

Then Lareth snatched the weapon from him. The three Shadowchasers watched as he effortlessly bent it into a pretzel.

"I suggest a retreat," said Karl.

"I second the motion," said Nichole. "RUN!"

Lareth laughed as the three Shadowchasers turned and ran down the stairs.

"Well, this should be fun," he said, as he followed.

They ran back into the room where the duel had been held, only to see why Lareth hadn't been so quick to pursue – the door out was blocked by spires of rock.

Lareth chuckled as he entered the room.

"Who needs the Ritual of Displacement?" he said. "Hell, who needs the Triad? I can rule this town with this kind of power! I could even rule the whole state!

"Why stop there, even? How does this sound to you… The United States of Tharizdun!"

"You're even crazier than you were before…" said Dugan

Lareth laughed, and grabbed Dugan by the collar, lifting him off his feet.

"You should be honored, Dugan…" he cackled. "You'll have the privilege of being the first enemy that I consume!"

He lifted his fist, intending to smash Dugan's skull in…

But before he could, something happened…

The barrier blocking the door was blown inward in a blast of energy. An armored form flew into the room, and struck the lunatic hard on the side of the head with a mace. Lareth dropped Dugan and fell backwards with a grunt.

Dugan and his teammates looked up, and saw who it was. Leorin's sweatshirt and jeans were gone, replaced by shining plate armor, and his mace was now of far greater quality. The Duel Disk on his arm shone like solid gold.

Leorin looked at the Doomdreamer.

"Pathetic…" he said. "It's so ironic, Lareth. You fancy yourself a manipulator, moving folks around like puppets, yet all you really are when it comes down to the bare bones is a puppet yourself."

"Leorin?" said Nichole. "Where'd you get the…"

"Armor?" replied Leorin. "It came with the Duel Disk. It's simply been invisible until now. Kind of like the chains that Jacob Marley had, but in a good way."

"Nice!" said Karl.

"Thank you…" said Leorin. "I'm kinda partial to it myself…"

"Bah!" shouted Lareth, as he got up. "Armor or no armor, I'll kill you all!"

Leorin took something out of a pouch by his side, and held it up in front of him.

"That's a Talisman of Pure Good!" shouted Dugan.

"Yeah…" said Leorin. "It was in this Temple… The Doomdreamers were letting it soak in some vile liquid, hoping it would turn into a Talisman of Ultimate Evil.

"Well, that's never going to happen…"

"Ooh, I'm petrified…" said Lareth, sarcastically. "That is, I would be, IF you were someone who could actually use its power! Only the mightiest followers of benign gods can invoke the incredible power of a Talisman of Pure Good. "

Leorin placed it back in the pouch.

"True, I can't use it…" he said. "Yet… But I'm very close to being able to… And I will, once I regain my former title…"

"Title?" asked Nichole.

"Supreme Commander of the Knights of Arcadia," said Leorin. "I was more than just an officer. That's why running away like a coward like I did was so bad."

_Supreme Commander of the Knights of Arcadia… _thought Lareth. _A general in St. Cuthbert's holy army? Who is this guy? _

"I learned the final piece of the puzzle, people…" said Leorin. "Where this Disk came from…

"You see, before I left to find Ravel Darkquill, someone… Someone important to me… A fellow soldier who had fought side-by-side with me so many times, but who was far closer to me than just a comrade… Begged me not to go. When she couldn't convince me, she promised to keep me in her prayers…

"And she prayed every night. Every night of her life, I believe. Even though I never came back. She prayed until the day she was claimed by death. St. Cuthbert took notice.

"Of course, noticing her prayers and answering them were two different things. He couldn't find me because my mortality was gone. His divine sight couldn't hone in on a follower with a lost mortality. But the prayers of that special person had convinced him to keep trying, and he had his servants looking… Scouring the mortal worlds for centuries, trying to find the needle in the haystack. A mortal would have given up, but gods have incredible patience.

"And he finally did find me due to a one-in-a-million fluke. You see, every time I died and was reborn, I had to inherit the burden of another repentant sinner. As it happened, when I woke up in that morgue on the South Side, the sinner in question was another disgraced follower of St. Cuthbert. Due to the connection, he finally found me.

"And he sent me this…"

He lifted the Duel Disk.

"What is it Leorin?" asked Karl.

"It's the Mace of St. Cuthbert, Karl…" said Leorin.

_The Mace of St. Cuthbert? _thought Lareth, in shock.

"The Mace of St. Cuthbert…" gasped Nichole. "The weapon that legends say he carried as a mortal man… The most holy relic of his order!"

"It assumed the form of a Duel Disk to serve as the Escape Clause," said Leorin. "It kept me from forgetting… And it gave me a way out…

"I've got my mortality back… And now I just need to regain my title…"

He looked at Lareth.

"It's time for a disgraced member of the Knights of Arcadia to prove he's worthy of counting himself among them once again…"

"This is such a touching story it makes me want to puke…" said Lareth.

Leorin glared at him. He lifted the mace.

"Oh, I'll make you puke, all right…" he said. "Lareth! You're going down…"

Lareth swung his arm in a circle, and a flaming portal appeared behind him.

"You fancy yourself a scion of St. Cuthbert?" asked the Doomdreamer. "Well, fine…"

A ball of fire appeared in his hand, and he slammed it to the ground. It turned into a bonfire, and the bonfire turned into a huge, flaming motorcycle.

Lareth quickly mounted the hellish D-Wheel.

"If you want me, hero," he cursed, "you're gonna have to catch me first!"

He sped through the portal, leaving fiery skid marks and a cloud of foul-smelling smoke in his wake.

Karl tapped some information into Sal.

"_Bad news, Karl," _said Sal. _"That portal leads to the Plain of Infinite Portals, the top layer of the Abyss."_

"Figures," said Leorin.

The three Shadowchasers saw that he had somehow made a D-Wheel of his own appear, one that seemed to be gold-plated.

"The Mace of St. Cuthbert…" said Nichole.

"It can be a D-Wheel too, Nichole…" said Leorin.

"You're going after him?" gasped Karl.

"Leorin," said Dugan, "You do realize, now that you have your morality back, if you get killed, you die for real."

Leorin nodded.

"It's a chance I have to take," he said, as he donned a helmet. "The Plane of Infinite Portals is well-named. It contains portals to every other layer of the Abyss. Lareth clearly wants to find one that leads to a place where Tharizdun has supporters.

"Stay here if you want… I'm going after him…"

He started up the D-Wheel.

"Leorin is right…" said Dugan. "If we don't catch that guy, this whole thing could start all over again…

"Leorin!"

Leorin looked at him.

"Could you, by any chance, bring our D-Wheels here?" asked Dugan. "It never hurts to have backup…"

Leorin waved his hand, and the three D-Wheels appeared behind him. The three Shadowchasers rushed to them.

"Just remember people…" he said. "To finally get back in proper good standing with St. Cuthbert, this battle has to be mine."

"Fine…" said Dugan. "But we're not letting you do it alone."

He took a card from his deck.

"Catch."

He tossed the card, and Leorin caught it.

He looked at it. It was the Trap Card, Really Eternal Rest.

"I put that in my deck in case I ran into any more of those blasted Dark Forge cards…"

Leorin grinned.

"Dirty pool, old man…" he said with a chuckle.

He put it in his deck, and the auto-shuffler quickly shuffled it.

With the roar of engines, four D-Wheels sped through the flaming portal and into the unknown beyond…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They were greeted by the smell of brimstone, and an overwhelming aura that made them feel that they were not wanted. The blasted landscape around the road they were driving down was rocky and cracked, and active volcanos were in the distance, spewing smoke and soot into an already foul sky.

This was the Abyss… A place where Chaos and Evil reigned… The realm where demons called home… Mortals were not welcome here, a sentiment that was clearly obvious to the three Shadowchasers simply from the feeling in the air.

"Shake a leg, people!" said Leorin. "Lareth has a head start, and if he gets to where he's aiming for, we'll never catch up to him."

Then three balls of fire shot from behind. Nichole swerved on her D-Wheel to avoid one of them.

They looked in their rear-view mirrors. Three Stygian Street Patrols were on their tails.

"Looks like Lareth called for backup," said Dugan. "Leorin, go on ahead… We'll catch up."

"Gotcha," said Leorin. 

He shifted gears, and sped ahead of his three allies.

The three Shadowchasers each drew a card.

"I summon Scrap Shark!" shouted Dugan.

"Samurai of the Ice Barrier!" shouted Karl.

"Amazoness Paladin!" shouted Nichole.

The three Monsters appeared to the rear of their D-Wheels, confronting the three Fiend bikers. Scrap Shark struck first, firing two torpedoes and blowing one of them to debris. The two Warriors leapt at the other two, and hit them hard with their swords, and they swerved and wiped out.

Then there was a blast of fire, and Scrap Shark was blown to pieces.

There was a chuckling laughter, and a Stygian Sergeants drove up behind them…

Dugan drew a card, and held up Scrap Beast.

"Okay, double-ugly…" he said, "want to play rough?"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 **

Lareth growled as he saw Leorin gaining.

He cast a quick incantation, and spouts of flame erupted from the road around Leorin, but Leorin deftly maneuvered around them all.

"Just my luck…" growled Lareth, when he was sure Leorin was close enough to hear him. "St. Cuthbert must have a thousand followers in the United States alone… And I run into the one who's dumb enough to follow me into the Abyss! Just how did you plan on getting back to Earth if you did defeat me, you fool?"

"I have access to the memories of hundreds of lives now…" said Leorin. "I'm sure one of them knows a solution to that problem… It might take a few minutes to bring it to the front of my mind, but hey… After all these years, patience is one thing I have.

"You think you can lose me and make it to whatever portal you're heading for? Well, maybe you can, and maybe you can't. The Abyss is a Realm of Chaos, after all. Distances are mutable and they change. If your goal is right over the hill one day, it could be hundreds of miles away the next."

Lareth tried something else. He shifted gears, and a cloud of foul smoke mixed with flames spewed out of his exhaust pipes, towards Leorin. Still, Leorin hung on, driving right through it.

Lareth growled again.

"You want to Turbo Duel?" he asked. "Fine… I might as well humor you…

"But I'm using a deck of potent cards that were prepared especially for the one whom Tharizdun finally accepted as his avatar. That's me, in case you forgot. No member of the order has ever dared use these before…

"And once I defeat you, I'm making sure you _stay _dead!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Triad was watching, using a separate power source.

"Uh…" said the Third. "Just out of curiosity… Who do we want to win here?"

"_Good question…" _said the Second._ "If Lareth defeats the Shadowchasers and this scion of St. Cuthbert, he's coming after us next…"_

"But if Leorin wins and Lareth perishes," added the First, "the Dark God will be injured…

"I suggest we simply watch and cross whatever road we must take when it finishes."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_**Next:**_

_**Leorin: The hour of reckoning is at hand. My final chance at redemption, and that of all the repentant souls who depend on me, rests on this final duel…**_

_**They say that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, but the old saying lies, for only pain and agony are present on this demonic highway. In this race across this blasted realm where Chaos and Evil reigns, I must keep my mind focused, and must never lose sight of my goal…**_

_**I know the truth… Now I must use it. **_

_**The final chapter of "Shadowchasers: Torment" is coming soon…**_


	58. Law versus Chaos

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DUEL FIFTY-EIGHT**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Law versus Chaos**

**Champion versus Champion**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

Down the road that pieced the center of the Plane of Infinite Portals, two D-Wheels sped…

One was piloted by the former human known as Lareth the Beautiful, a man who, not beautiful at all, had long been the Champion of Elemental Evil, and had just ascended to the position of Avatar of Tharizdun. The power of the dark god of madness that he worshipped flowed through his veins, and he possessed power unlike any that he held before. Little did he realize, he had now become little more than a complete slave to Evil.

The other was piloted by Leorin, the disgraced Supreme Commander of the Knights of Arcadia. His cowardly act so many millennia ago had caused him to lose the favor he had with St. Cuthbert, but the prayers of the woman who loved him and his acts of repentance ever since had convinced his god to give him a second chance.

It all came down to this… It was more than a battle of Duel Monsters… It was a battle of ideals between the servants of two divine forces, one that represented Law, Goodness, and Justice, and another that represented Chaos, Evil, and Madness.

As Leorin diligently pursued his foe, a volcano by the side of the road blew its top, and the lava shot over the road in an arch, right over the two of them. Lareth laughed out loud.

"Two hot for you?" he asked. "Not too late to change your mind, you know…"

He hit the console of his flaming D-Wheel, and Speed World 2 activated.

"On second thought, scratch that…" he said. "This might actually be fun…"

"Trust me…" said Leorin. "I have no intention of backing down!"

**(Leorin: 8,000, SPC: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 8,000, SPC: 0)**

"I draw!" shouted Lareth, drawing a card.

"And I'll summon my Suffering Soul to the field."

With a horrid wail, a hideous, ghostly creature clad in a torn and tattered robe, with a gaunt, sunken face appeared in front of his D-Wheel. (1,800 ATK)

"That will do for now…"

Leorin drew a card, and both Speed Counters clicked up to one.

He looked at his six cards: Speed Spell – Angel Baton, Buried Treasure, Hardened Armed Dragon, Masked Dragon, Super Conductor Tyranno, and The Creator.

_I hate to defend on my first turn, _he said, as he chose the Masked Dragon, _but I have nothing right now that can beat his Suffering Soul…_

He set Masked Dragon on his console, and it appeared facedown.

"Done!" he said.

Lareth made a draw, and the counters went up another notch.

"I'll trade in Suffering Soul…" he said.

The ghostly Fiend turned into an orb of dark energy…

"…for Brotherhood Mercenary!"

Leorin gasped as possibly the most hideous Fiend he had ever seen appeared in place of the first one. Hunched over and vaguely humanoid, it combined the worst aspects of reptile, amphibian, fish, and a hideous demon. It had an elongated face that vaguely resembled a cross between a lizard's and wolf's, with sharp teeth, and claws that were disproportionately large. Its whole body was covered with green scales. (2,200 ATK)

"That's a Level 7 Monster!" shouted Leorin.

"True," said Lareth. "But when Suffering Soul is sacrificed to summon a Monster with the word 'Brotherhood' in its name, it can count as two sacrifices."

"Wait a minute…" said Leorin. "There are more of these things?"

"That's right," said Lareth. "And this one is the least powerful!

"But for now… It will attack your Monster! Hurricane of Decay!"

The Brotherhood Mercenary took a deep breath, and then blew a blast of wind mixed with vile filth at Leorin's set Monster. Masked Dragon appeared, and rotted into dust.

"I use Masked Dragon's effect!" shouted Leorin.

A second Masked Dragon appeared in front of him. (1,100 DEF)

"So be it…" said Lareth. "It's your move…"

Leorin made a draw.

**(Leorin: 8,000, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 8,000, SPC: 3)**

"I activate Speed Spell – Angel Baton!" he shouted, as he played the Spell Card.

"Now I draw twice…"

He made two draws.

"…then discard once…"

He discarded a card.

"Next, I discard Super Conductor Tyranno to Special Summon Hardened Armed Dragon!"

He discarded the card. A portal opened behind him, and the bony Dragon flew out. (1,500 ATK)

"Now, I sacrifice both my Monsters…"

Hardened Armed Dragon and Masked Dragon burst into particles.

"…to summon The Creator!"

A portal of light appeared, and The Creator emerged. (2,300 ATK)

"Next, I discard another card…"

He discarded Level Warrior.

"…to use The Creator's effect. Super Conductor Tyranno, arise!"

With a roar, the huge, armored Dinosaur appeared next to The Creator. (3,300 ATK)

"And I'm not done!" continued Leorin, as he took another card from his hand. "Because I have two Light-Attribute Monsters on the field now, I can Special Summon the Guardian of Order!"

There was an aura of light that was almost overwhelming, and a powerful-looking Warrior clad in brilliant white armor with gold highlights and a faceless helmet. (2,500 ATK)

"Most impressive…" growled Lareth.

"I'll show you impressive," said Leorin. "Super Conductor Tyranno, obliterate Brotherhood Mercenary with Electromagnetic Bolt Blast!"

The Dinosaur roared, and blasted its lethal stream of energy. The Fiend was thrown backwards, and then burst in an explosion of slime and viscera.

"Humph…" said Leorin. "Your Monsters may be big and ugly, but they die just like any other Monsters…"

"True…" said Lareth. "But you activated Brotherhood Mercenary's effect. By destroying it, I now get to take another Brotherhood Monster from my deck."

A card appeared in his hand.

"It won't save you from this!" said Leorin. "Guardian of Order, attack him directly! Dictum of Destruction!"

The golden Warrior fired a stream of energy rings at the wicked Doomdreamer…

"I beg to differ!" replied Lareth.

He discarded a card, and the blast was halted by a shield of energy.

"Huh?" said Leorin.

"I discarded my Brotherhood Prospector," said Lareth, with a chuckle. "Which means your attack is negated, and the Battle Phase ends now…"

Leorin paused. He looked at the last card in his hand.

"I end my turn…" he said.

Lareth laughed as he made a draw.

**(Leorin: 8,000, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 6,900, SPC: 4)**

"You know, Commander…" he said.

Leorin frowned. There was an obvious sarcastic tone when he had said it.

"Some people would call it no easy feat to summon three Level 8 Monsters in one turn," continued the Doomdreamer.

"Well, I'm going to prove that it _is _rather easy, by doing the exact same thing!

"First, because you control three Monsters and I control none, I can Special Summon Brotherhood Clown from my hand."

A portal of flames appeared, and a new Fiend emerged from it. He had called it "Brotherhood Clown", but the vile thing could not have looked less like a clown. It looked very much like Brotherhood Mercenary, but had red scales, and a reptilian sale down its spine. (2,600 ATK)

"Next," continued Lareth, "because the combined Attack Score of all of your Monsters is more than twice the combined Attack Score of mine, I can also Special Summon Brotherhood Collector."

A watery, blue portal appeared, and another of the ugly demons emerged. This one had blue scales, gill-like fins on its face, and a vertical jaw on its chest surrounded by four squid-like tentacles. (2,600 ATK)

"Finally," said Lareth, "you might remember that I discarded my Brotherhood Prospector last turn to block your attacks. Well, because I did that, I can now pay 1,000 Life Points to summon it to the field."

With a roar, yet another of the demons burst out of the ground. This one was bulkier, had a rocky, stony hide that was dull brown, and while its hands were oversized, like the others, they were massive fists instead of claws. (2,700 ATK)

"This is bad…" said Leorin, looking at the three Fiends.

"You'd better believe it," said Leorin. "Brotherhood Clown, destroy Guardian of Order with Flames of Chaos!"

The demented clown blasted a stream of fire mixed with acid at the golden Warrior, blasting it to pieces. Leorin screamed as he felt pain ripping through him.

"What?" he gasped. "Shouldn't I have only lost 100 Life Points?"

"From the battle, yes," replied Lareth. "But Brotherhood Clown has a powerful effect. When it crushes a Monster, you take damage equal to 300 times the Level of your Monster. Multiply it.

"And I'm not done with you… Brotherhood Collector, take care of his Creator!"

The blue demon spit a stream of vile, black liquid at the bronze titan. The Creator groaned, and was propelled backwards…

Then, something unexpected happened. The tentacles on Brotherhood Collector's chest shot forward, and seized The Creator. Leorin watched in horror as it yanked The Creator to the jaw on its chest and drew it inside.

"That thing _swallowed _my Monster!" he shouted.

"Sort of," replied Leorin. "When Brotherhood Collector destroys a Monster, that Monster is then Equipped to Brotherhood Collector.

"I set one card facedown, and I end my turn…"

A set card appeared in front of his D-Wheel, and then faded from view.

_Calm down, Leorin, _thought Leorin, as he made a draw. _You still have Super Conductor Tyranno, and its stronger than those three nightmares…_

**(Leorin: 5,400, SPC: 5) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 5,900, SPC: 5)**

"Attack his Brotherhood Collector!" he shouted.

Super Conductor Tyranno roared, and blasted its bolt of energy at the Fiend. However, Brotherhood Collector simply blocked with its arm, and the bolt glanced off.

"It survived?" gasped Leorin.

"Uh huh," said Lareth. "When it's Equipped with a Monster, it can survive being destroyed by battle if I get rid of that Monster."

Leorin set both of his two cards onto his console and they briefly appeared in front of him before fading.

Lareth drew a card, and looked at it.

"I play Speed Spell – Explosion!" he shouted, throwing a card on his console.

The effect was indeed an explosion. The set card he had placed last turn shattered, and Super Conductor Tyranno staggered backwards, falling into Defense Mode. (1,800 DEF)

"Now, let's see…" said Lareth. "If I attacked your Tyranno with my Brotherhood Clown, I could do a total of… 7,700 points of damage? Huh, kind of overkill…

"Ah, I _like _overkill!"

Brotherhood Clown blasted its Flames of Chaos at the huge Dinosaur…

"Activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Leorin.

Lareth snarled as the fire hit a protective dome of energy.

"Well fine…" said the Doomdreamer. "I still have two more Monsters…"

Brotherhood Collector spit its vile liquid at the Dinosaur, throwing the huge beast backwards again. Once again, its tentacles grabbed Super Conductor Tyranno and pulled it into its maw.

"Brotherhood Prospector, attack that fool directly!" shouted Lareth. "Soul Fist Crusher!"

The demon punched the front of Leorin's D-Wheel with a blow so solid, he could feel it in his smallest bones. He groaned, and then struggled to keep his mind on controlling his D-Wheel.

**(Leorin: 5,300, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 5,900, SPC: 6)**

"Oh, Leorin?" said Lareth. "Dip in the road…"

"Huh?" said Leorin.

Leorin realized what he meant. They were about to drive off the side of a cliff.

Before he could stop, the two D-Wheels sailed off the cliffside, over the blasted plain…

Any normal D-Wheeler would have crashed. But with supernatural skill, Leorin made a four-point landing where the road picked up, even though he skidded for a hundred feet before regaining complete control.

"What the Hell are you made of?" cursed Lareth. "What do I have to do to shake you?"

"More than _that, _it seems," said Leorin.

He took some deep breaths. He was shaking in pain, both from the impact from the fall and the direct attack, but he wasn't going to let Lareth know how hurt he was.

Lareth took a card from his hand. He set it on his console, and a set Monster appeared in front of him.

"I'll end with that!" he shouted.

Leorin drew a card.

Cosmo Queen.

_All right… _he thought.

His Trap Card spun around.

"I activate Common Sacrifice!" he shouted. "Because you have at least three Monsters, I can send the two weakest ones to the Graveyard…"

Brotherhood Clown and Brotherhood Collector vanished.

"…and then summon this lady from my hand. Come on out, Cosmo Queen!"

A dark portal opened behind him, and the Queen of the Galaxies, Mistress of the Stars appeared. (2,900 ATK)

"And now she can take down your Brotherhood Prospector!" he continued. "Attack! Cosmic Nova!"

Cosmic Queen put her hands together, and formed a ball of dark matter in her palms. She hurled it, and the evil demon burst into an explosion of gore.

"Not bad…" said Lareth. "But futile…

"Because by destroying a Brotherhood Monster on the field, I'm now able to Special Summon a stronger one from my hand by paying 1,000 Life Points!

"I call forth Brotherhood Cabalist Gosago!"

Another Brotherhood demon appeared, this one bigger than the others with violet scales. It wore a black hood decorated with gold sigils and bladed gauntlets decorated with the same sigils. It also wore a belt that carried shrunken human heads, and a necklace of dried human ears. (3,000 ATK)

_This is just going from bad to worse… _thought Leorin.

**(Leorin: 5,300, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 4,700, SPC: 7)**

Then he heard the sound of engines. He looked in his rearview mirror, and saw his three allies drive up behind him.

"Hey!" shouted Nichole. "We finally caught up… And…

"Dear God, what is _that?"_

"Some new kind of Fiend he's using," replied Leorin. "They're called the Brotherhood."

"_That's _what they look like?" gasped Dugan.

"You can have as much of a cheering section as you want," said Lareth, "it's not going to help you."

He drew a card.

"After all, you have no cards in your hand, and your Monster can't stand up to mine… My Monster on the other hand… It has a trampling effect, and the battle damage it does when it attacks a Monster is doubled.

"But before I use it, I'm going to flip my set Monster into Attack Mode. It's a little guy called A Cat of Ill Omen."

The set Monster flipped face-up, revealing a black cat wearing a golden necklace. (500 ATK)

"By Flip-Summoning it," he continued, "I get to take any Trap Card I want from my deck, and place it on the top."

A card materialized on the top of his deck.

"But why wait? I'll use the effect of Speed World 2, and pay seven of my Speed Counters to draw it now."

He quickly decelerated and fell behind Leorin, and drew the top card from his deck. He looked at it, and added it to his hand.

"Not good," said Karl. "Whatever that card is, it likely plays a vital part of his strategy."

"Now, attack his Cosmo Queen, Gosago!" ordered Lareth. "Howl of Madness!"

The name of the attack fit perfectly. The Fiend let out an earsplitting howl that seemed to pierce the soul. It was all that Leorin and the three Shadowchasers could do to resist letting go of the handlebars of their D-Wheels and covering their ears. Cosmo Queen was blown into dust.

Then Leorin was taken completely by shock as the Cat leapt into his face and dug its claws into him.

_He actually attacked me with it… _he thought.

Lareth set the Trap Card, and then waved his hand to signal the end of his turn.

Leorin drew a card.

"Hmm…" he said.

**(Leorin: 4,600, SPC: 9) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 4,700, SPC: 2)**

He quickly played it.

"I play Speed Spell – Half Seize!" he shouted. "Now, your Monster's Attack Score is cut in half…"

Brotherhood Cabalist Gosago's ATK fell to 1,500.

"And the Attack Points it lost go into my Life Points."

"Yeah?" asked Lareth. "And then what? You have no cards left."

"That's what you think," said Leorin. "You see, when I played Angel Baton on my second turn, I discarded a special Trap Card called Buried Treasure.

"Now that I played that Spell Card, exactly ten cards are on top of it in my Graveyard pile…"

Ten cards quickly flashed past him: Guardian of Order, The Creator, Hardened Armed Dragon, Masked Dragon, Super Conductor Tyranno, Level Warrior, Common Sacrifice, Draining Shield, Cosmo Queen, and Speed Spell – Half-Seize.

"…which means I can remove Buried Treasure from play to activate its effect, allowing us both to draw two cards."

He made two draws, and Lareth frowned as he did the same.

Leorin was a little surprised when he saw what one of them was. It was Really Eternal Rest, the card Dugan had given him.

He put it aside, and then played the other one. Kaiser Sea Horse appeared in front of him. (1,700 ATK)

"Get 'im," he said.

The Sea Serpent rushed at the Fiend, and jammed its spear into the thing's scaly hide. Brother Cabalist Gosago moaned, and once again exploded into vile residue.

"Now, I will also use the effect of Speed World 2," continued Leorin.

His Speed Counters fell to 2, and he made one draw.

He looked at the card.

_Rowen… _he thought.

He placed the card on his gauntlet, and then set Really Eternal Rest in his Spell Zone. It appeared facedown before fading from view.

"I end my turn…" he said.

Lareth chuckled as he made a draw.

**(Leorin: 6,100, SPC: 3) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 4,500, SPC: 3)**

Volcanos erupted around them, as lava flows started to become more and more prevalent over the blasted landscape.

"You are quite powerful," said Lareth. "But I can be stronger still…

"I set a Monster, and move my Cat to Defense Mode."

A set Monster appeared, and a Cat of Ill-Omen curled up in Defense. (300 DEF)

"I end my turn," he said.

Leorin drew a card.

"All right, Doomdreamer," he said, "I setting my next card facedown."

He set it, and it appeared in his Spell Zone.

"Then I summon… Pious Warrior Rowen!"

Rowen appeared, brandishing her longsword and giving Lareth a dirty look. (1,800 ATK)

"Let me guess," said Lareth, with a frown. "The girlfriend of yours you were talking about earlier."

"None of your business," said Leorin, despite the fact that he was right. "My Monsters attack your Monsters!"

First, Kaiser Sea Horse rushed at A Cat of Ill Omen, skewering the small Beast. Then, Rowen charged the other Monster. Winged Minion appeared crouching before her sword cut it in twain.

"It seems that this duel has taken a complete turn in my favor," said Leorin.

"Or has it?" said Lareth. "My draw…"

He drew a card.

Then his Trap Card, the one he had searched for with the Cat, lifted up. Leorin didn't recognize it. It depicted a Doomdreamer praying in front of a statue.

"It's called Rise of the Divine Colossus," he said. "Because I have no Monsters on my field, and I have four Fiend-Type Monsters in my Graveyard of the Attributes of Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth…"

Brotherhood Clown, Brotherhood Mercenary, Brotherhood Collector, and Brotherhood Prospector appeared behind him.

"…I can remove all four of them from play…"

The four Fiends faded into nothing.

"…to Special Summon… Dark Catalyst – Eidolon!"

The Monster that appeared in front of Lareth was a large statue made of black stone. It looked like a statue of a bare-breasted woman with six arms and a snaky trunk in place of legs. She held a sharp scimitar in each hand. (2,500 ATK)

Leorin looked at the thing. It looked intimidating enough, but what really worried him was its name.

_Another Dark Catalyst?_ he thought. _This could be trouble…_

"What is that?" asked Nichole.

"Looks like a statue of a… marilith…" said Karl.

Anyone who knew anything about demons knew about the marilith. They were very powerful demons who acted as generals and commanders of demonic armies for the blood war. This was a daunting task, considering how chaotic demonic armies were (as has already been stated), but marilith were universally considered to be the best ones for the job. They were also known for being terrors of martial combat. Very few warriors could survive a one-on-one fight with a creature that could effortlessly use six swords at once. (In most situations, a marilith had one hand that was dominant, as most humans did, but while using her swords, all of her hands were equal.)

Of course, this seemed to be just a statue, but neither Leorin nor the three Shadowchasers would be fooled into thinking that it was harmless…

Leorin's facedown card that he set last turn lifted up.

"I activate Threatening Roar!" he shouted.

"Very well…" said Lareth.

He threw two cards on his console.

"I'll set two cards facedown, and my turn is over…"

Leorin made a draw.

_One of those cards is likely a Dark Forge card, _he thought. _If I attack, he'll trigger it, and he'll be able to Special Summon another nightmare just like Hape did…_

_Little does he know, I have Dugan's Trap ready to spring… Really Eternal Rest, which can destroy all Monsters on the field armed with Equip Spells._

**(Leorin: 6,100, SPC: 6) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 4,500, SPC: 6)**

"I sacrifice Kaiser Sea Horse…" he exclaimed.

The Sea Serpent vanished.

"…to summon Felgrand Dragon!"

With a loud and proud roar, the majestic golden dragon flew over his bike. (2,800 ATK)

"All right!" cheered Nichole.

"Show him how it's done!" shouted Karl.

"Attack his Eidolon!" shouted Leorin. "Burning Beam!"

"I activate… _Both _my Traps!" yelled Lareth.

His two facedown cards spun around.

"First, Enchanted Javelin. This card increases my Life Points by the Attack Score of your Attacking Monster.

"Second, Alchemy Cycle! This Trap reduces the Attack Score of my Monster to zero."

"HUH?" said Leorin and the three Shadowchasers at once.

They watched in disbelief as the bolt hit its target, blowing Dark Catalyst – Eidolon to bits.

"Ergh…" grunted Lareth. "Alchemy Cycle has another effect… Because the Monster was destroyed, I get to draw one card…"

He made a draw.

_Neither one was a Dark Forge card? _thought Leorin.

He frowned.

"Rowen, attack him directly!"

Rowen rushed at the evil priest, and hit him hard with her sword. He grunted in pain, and his bike wobbled.

"Why on Earth did Lareth do that?" asked Nichole.

"I have a feeling that Leorin isn't going to like the reason…" said Dugan.

"I end my turn…" said Leorin.

"Which means it's time for my surprise," said Lareth. "Because my Dark Catalyst was destroyed after its Attack Score was reduced, I can bring out someone better…

"Arise… _Dark Exarch – Shaktari the Dervish!"_

A new Monster appeared, one that loomed fifteen feet over the field. It looked like the statue, but was not a statue. This was a _real _marilith, and her overwhelming appearance frightened the four mortals just as much as any of the six-armed generals had terrified the few humans unlucky enough to confront one.

"I've heard of Shaktari…" gasped Karl. "She's no ordinary marilith… She's a demon lord who claims lordship over all the others… According to planar talk, she rules from the Bloodsea, an Abyssal Layer that's literally an ocean of blood dotted with islands, each one ruled by a marilith who pays homage to Shaktari by bringing her offerings."

"But Shaktari has a secret," chuckled Lareth. "She wasn't always a marilith, or even a member of the race of demons that now rule the Abyss. She was once one of Tharizdun's entourage, and managed to escape being slain or imprisoned when his campaign of annihilation failed.

"She took the form of a marilith to become inconspicuous, but didn't stay so for long. She worked up the social ladder of the Abyss until every other marilith called her master. But ultimately, she remains loyal to Tharizdun.

"And as far as Attack Points go… They're equal to the amount I lost when you destroyed my Dark Catalyst – Eidolon."

(2,800 ATK)

"You mean you didn't need a Dark Forge card to summon that Dark Exarch?" gasped Leorin.

Lareth laughed out loud.

"There's no common rule to Dark Catalysts and Dark Exarches!" he laughed. "Each one is different!"

_Figures, _thought Leorin. _I was trying to find Order in Chaos…_

"And I believe it's my move…" said Lareth.

He drew a card.

**(Leorin: 6,100, SPC: 7) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 2,700, SPC: 7)**

"Shaktari…" he said. "Slay his Pious Warrior!"

With a maddening look in her eyes, the marilith swooped down upon Rowen, and with one swipe of a scimitar, cut her in two at the waist.

"There!" said Lareth, in disgust. "No more prayers, no more hopes, no more dreams.

"Especially because my Monster gains Attack Points equal to the Attack Points of every Monster she slays."

(4,600 ATK)

"And there's more…" he added. "Shaktari can't be destroyed so long as she's the only Monster I control."

"It's like Beelze all over again!" shouted Karl.

"I set _three _cards facedown…" said Lareth.

Three cards appeared in front of him in his Spell Zone, and quickly faded from view.

"…and I end my turn."

_Okay, Leorin… _thought Leorin. _Don't give up yet…_

He made a draw.

**(Leorin: 5,100, SPC: 8) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 2,700, SPC: 8)**

"I use the effect of Speed World 2," he said. "I'll cut my Speed Counters down to 1, and make one draw."

He decelerated, and drew a card.

He looked at the two cards in his hand.

He set them both on his console, and both appeared in his Spell Zone.

"Then I move Felgrand Dragon to Defense Mode," he said.

The Dragon folded its wings, and sat. (2,800 ATK)

"I end my turn…"

Lareth made a draw.

"Heh, heh…" he said.

He swerved, and turned his bike around so that he was driving backwards, face-to-face with Leorin.

"There now I can see you," he chuckled. "I use the effect of Speed World 2!"

He turned two cards forward in his hand: Speed Spell – The End of Storm and Speed Spell – Summon Speeder.

"With two Speed Spells, I can inflict 1,600 points of damage by spending four of my Speed Counters!"

Leorin screamed as a wave of flames from the front of Lareth's bike hit him.

"Hey, why stop there?" asked Lareth. "I still have five Speed Counters… I think I'll do it again!"

Leorin screamed again as the flames torched him and his bike a second time.

**(Leorin: 1,900, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 2,700, SPC: 1)**

Lareth turned so that his eyes were back on the road, and then chose a card from his hand.

"Enough fun," he said. "Back to work… I summon Grave Squirmer…"

He played the card, and a fiendish-looking corpse wrapped in burial linens appeared next to Shaktari. (0 ATK)

"Why'd he do that?" asked Nichole. "Now Shaktari is vulnerable."

"Because I'm going to sacrifice it," sighed Lareth. "I activate… under incredible protest…"

He shuddered a little as one of his Trap Cards spun around.

"…Tyrant's Tummyache…"

The Trap Card was another one featuring the underwear-clad emperor. In this one, he was greedily devouring a large quantity of food.

"Sure, this card has a stupid name," said Lareth, as Grave Squirmer vanished, "but it has a powerful effect. By sacrificing a Monster, it prevents either player from Special Summoning Monsters that are Level 6 or higher. So your chances of summoning anything that could challenge Shaktari are very slim.

"But just in case…"

His second Trap Card lifted up.

"This Trap Card will prevent you from getting rid of her the same way your friend Karl got rid of Beelze. It called D.D. Blaster. If you remove my Monster from play, I can't stop you… But I can deal damage to you equal to my Monster's Attack Score.

"And furthermore…"

His last Trap Card lifted up.

"I activate Meteorain!"

"NO!" screamed the three Shadowchasers at once.

Shaktari made a rush at Felgrand Dragon and Leorin screamed louder than ever as her sword sliced first through it and then seemingly through his very soul…

**(Leorin: 100, SPC: 2) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 2,700, SPC: 1)**

"He survived!" cheered Nichole, in relief.

"Barely…" said Dugan.

Shaktari rose to an Attack Score of 7,400.

_Barely is right, _thought Leorin. _If I don't get something good on my next draw, this duel is gonna be over soon, and the outcome isn't going to be good…_

Lareth looked at the two Speed Spells in his hand.

_Hmm… _he thought. _If I have three cards in my hand, Tyrant's Tummyache will destroy itself… Better set one of these now…_

He set The End of Storm on his console, and it appeared facedown.

"Your move, hero," he mocked.

Ben drew a card.

It was Sangan.

He quickly placed it on his console, and it appeared set in front of him.

"Move," he said.

"Still clinging to life, are we?" asked Lareth. "You realize, if I draw a Monster with even 200 Attack Points, you're finished?"

He made his draw.

It was his second Brotherhood Mercenary.

"All right, you're safe…" he said. "This turn, anyway…"

Shaktari made slashed with her blade, cutting Sangan in two. Leorin held up his hand, and a second Hardened Armed Dragon appeared in it. Shaktari's Attack Score rose to 8,400.

"I end my turn," said Lareth. "But on my next turn, you lose!"

"He's right…" said Karl. "Lareth still has one Speed Spell… On his next turn, he'll have enough Counters to use Speed World 2's effect again!"

"Don't lose hope yet," said Dugan. "I've seen duelists come back from tighter situations than this."

Actually, he had never _seen _it happen. He had _heard _about it happening, sure, but every case involved legendary duelists like Yugi Mouto and Yukai Judai…

Could Leorin possible do the same thing?

Leorin drew a card. But he didn't even look at it.

**(Leorin: 100, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 2,700, SPC: 3)**

"I activate… Beckoning Light!" he shouted, as one of his Trap Cards spun around. "I send my whole hand to the Graveyard…"

He discarded his two cards.

"…and in return, I get back two Light-Attribute Monsters _from _my Graveyard."

Two cards appeared in his hand.

"Now, another Trap Card," he said, as another facedown card lifted up. "It's called Deactivate!

"Now, all face-up Spell and Trap Cards on the field are set facedown, and have to stay that way until the end of the turn, which means that D.D. Blaster and Tyrant's Tummyache are out of commission!"

Lareth gasped as his two Traps slammed down and turned slate grey.

"However, if I don't destroy one of _my _cards," continued Leorin, "I take 1,000 points of damage…

"So thanks for lending me the card, Dugan!"

Really Eternal Rest lifted up, and shattered.

"Now, I Special Summon Level Warrior!"

In a flurry of stars, the cowled, caped superhero appeared. (300 ATK)

"Because I Special Summoned it while you had a Monster on the field, and I had no Monsters, its Level becomes 4.

"Now, once again, here's Pious Warrior Rowen!"

A portal of light appeared, and Rowen flew out again. (1,800 ATK)

Rowen and Level Warrior flew into the sky above the Abyss, slowly fading into light.

"_A light of hope in the darkness of despair! My very soul! Descend to the mortal plane!"_

**(*4 + *4 = *8)**

"_Synchro Summon… Sacred Knight Rowen!"_

In an aura of even brighter light, Rowen appeared, but her humble leather armor was gone. She was now clad in shining plate armor and a helmet, and held a much better quality sword, along with a circular shield emblazoned with St. Cuthbert's symbol. (2,300 ATK)

"Eh?" said Lareth.

"Rowen…" said Lareth. "Attack Shaktari."

Rowen lifted her sword.

"What are you doing?" shouted Lareth. "That's suicide!"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Leorin was in a void of light.

Rowen was in front of him. Tears were in her eyes as she looked into his.

"You were the final piece of the puzzle," he said softly. "You never gave up on me…"

"I prayed every night for you to return…" replied Rowen. "Even when I resolved to the fact that you wouldn't, I continued to pray…

"I promised St. Cuthbert that if he would save you, I would remain loyal until death and beyond…"

Tears started flowing down Leorin's cheeks.

"I'll be there soon…" he said.

"I've been waiting a long time…" said Rowen. "I can wait a little more…"

Leorin looked at her.

"I love you…"

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Sacred Knight Rowen closed in on the vile marilith…

The demon made a scowl, and swung her sword, blowing her to pieces. Lareth laughed out loud.

"Well fine by me!" he cackled. "If you wanted to surrender, you should have…

"Huh?"

**(Leorin: 100, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 2,700, SPC: 3)**

"That's right!" said Leorin, with a grin. "Due to Rowen's effect, I'm still in this! And also due to her effect, I can pay half my Life Points to summon someone better…

"I call forth… Divine Paladin Rowen!"

Beams of light pieced the foul clouds overhead, and an angelic form descended. It looked like Sacred Knight Rowen, but her armor was finer still, she had beautiful, feathered wings, and radiated an aura of overwhelming light. (0 ATK)

"She's beautiful…" gasped Nichole.

"When summoned this way," said Leorin, "she removes one Dark Monster from play…"

Lareth gasped as Dark Exarch – Shaktari the Dervish simply vanished into mist.

"And that's not all, Lareth…" said Leorin. "All of Shaktari's ill-gotten Attack Points that she stole go to Rowen."

Rowen glowed with an aura of pure power… (8,400 ATK)

"No… NO!" screamed Lareth. "I won't be beaten!"

"Too late," said Leorin. "Rowen, attack with Divine Blade of Retribution!"

A sword made of pure holy fire appeared in Rowen's hands. She flew at Lareth the Beautiful, and the Doomdreamer let out an unholy scream as the blow hit home…

**(Leorin: 50, SPC: 4) - - - - - - - - - - (Lareth: 0, SPC: 0)**

The next thing Leorin, Dugan, Nichole, and Karl knew, they were falling through a dark void…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

They landed unceremoniously with a thud.

They looked around. They were back in the room that had formerly held the Tabernacle of Utter Darkness. Their D-Wheels were parked to the side.

Nichole rushed to Leorin and hugged him.

"Easy, Nichole," he said. "I'm kinda tender…"

"All's well that ends well, huh folks?" asked Dugan.

His cell phone rang again.

"Jalal?" he said.

"Yeah," said Jalal. "Hang tight. We're opening a portal to get you out."

"Best news I heard all night," said Karl.

Then there was a shudder. Then the room shook.

"What was that?" asked Nichole.

Another shudder. It seemed like a tremor had shook the whole Temple of All-Consumption.

"Oh… no…" said Dugan.

He looked at his watch.

"Jalal!" he shouted into his phone. "The sun wouldn't happen to be coming up, would it?"

"Uh, yeah…" said Jalal.

"That's what I was afraid of…" said Dugan.

"What?" asked Nichole.

"The Doomdreamers were trying to make those storm clouds permanent," said Dugan. "They failed, and now the light of the sun is hitting this structure.

"Remember how I sank the Flying Dutchman's ship? You know what happens when sunlight hits a structure made of the shadow stuff of the Darkfell, right?"

Then another tremor struck, stronger than before.

"Jalal, can you speed things up?" he said into the phone.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

The other inhabitants of the Temple were feeling the effects too. The Mean Emcee rushed into a chamber with Roxy.

"What's happening?" shouted Roxy.

Then several holographic screens appeared, and Madame Xane's face appeared on it.

"Members of the Order of the Dark God," she announced, "this Temple is doomed. Flee at once, or once it sinks into the water surrounding it, it will be your grave."

As she said this, several portals appeared. The naïve followers needed no prompting, and ran through the portals without a second thought.

Xane grinned, as she retreated through her own portal… The only portal she had created that did not lead strait to the where the Shadowchasers were waiting.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Finally, a portal appeared in the room that had held the Tabernacle. Dugan, Nichole, and Karl mounted their D-Wheels, and sped through it.

Leorin was about to do the same…

But then, a hand grabbed him from behind, and yanked him off his bike.

Leorin got up, and stood face to face with Lareth.

"_You…" _said the Doomdreamer, his eyes burning with hate. _"I'm not through with you…"_

Leorin said nothing.

He pointed to his D-Wheel, and it turned into an orb of light…

Then the orb turned into a decorated mace made of bronze. It flew to his hand.

Leorin held the sacred Mace of St. Cuthbert, now in its true form.

The Temple of All-Consumption started to shake and tremble violently. With one more prayer to St. Cuthbert, Leorin leapt at the Doomdreamer with the Mace held high…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SPEED SPELL – HALF SEIZE (Spell Card)**

**Normal Spell**

**Image: **A glowing orb of green and yellow energy.

**Card Description: **You may activate this card when you have 3 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 Monster your opponent controls and reduce its ATK by half until the End Phase of the turn. Increase your Life Points by an amount equal to the amount of points that the selected Monster's ATK was reduced.

_Note: "Speed Spell – Half Seize" was first used by Jack in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Shadow of Doubt (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SUFFERING SOUL**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 4  
**ATK:** 1,800  
**DEF:** 1,200

**Card Description: **When this card is Tributed for the Tribute Summon of a "Brotherhood" Monster, it can count as two Tributes.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BROTHERHOOD MERCENARY (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Wind  
**Level:** 7  
**ATK:** 2,200  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description: **When this card is destroyed by battle, take one Level 8 or lower "Brotherhood" Monster from your deck and add it to your hand.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BROTHERHOOD PROSPECTOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Earth  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,700  
**DEF:** 2,000

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned except via its own effect. If you are attacked directly, you may discard this card from your hand to negate the attack and end the Battle Phase. If you use this effect, you may spend 1,000 Life Points during your next Main Phase to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BROTHERHOOD COLLECTOR (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Water  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 2,100

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned except via its own effect. If the combined ATK of all face-up Monsters your opponent controls is at least double the combined ATK of all face-up Monsters you control, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. You can only Summon 1 "Brotherhood Collector" per turn. When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, you may Equip the destroyed Monster to this card as an Equip Spell. If this card would be destroyed, you can prevent its destruction by sending a Monster Equipped to it to the Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BROTHERHOOD CLOWN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Fire  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,600  
**DEF:** 2,200

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Special Summoned except via its own effect. If you control no Monsters and your opponent controls 3 or more, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. You can only Summon 1 "Brotherhood Clown" per turn. When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle, inflict damage to the destroyed Monster's controller equal to 300x the Level of the destroyed Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BROTHERHOOD CABALIST ****GOSAGO**** (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 3,000  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description:** This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except via its own effect. If a "Brotherhood" Monster you control (except for a "Brotherhood Cabalist Gosago") is destroyed, you may pay 1,000 Life Points to Special Summon this card from your hand. You can only Summon 1 "Brotherhood Cabalist Gosago" per turn. When this card battles a Defense Position Monster with a DEF lower than this card's ATK, inflict the difference to your opponent as Battle Damage. Battle Damage inflicted by this card when it battles a Monster is doubled.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**RISE OF THE DIVINE COLOSSUS (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **A Doomdreamer praying in front of a statue of a marilith.

**Card Description: **Remove from play from your Graveyard 4 Fiend-Type Monsters, 1 each of the following Attributes: EARTH, FIRE, WIND, and WATER. Special Summon 1 "Dark Catalyst – Eidolon" from your hand, deck, or Graveyard.

**DARK CATAYLST – EIDOLON (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Rock/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 6  
**ATK:** 2,500  
**DEF:** 2,500

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Divine Colossus". When this card attacks an opposing Monster, negate that Monster's effect until the End Phase of the turn.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DARK EXARCH – SHAKTARI THE DERVISH (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Fiend/Effect  
**Attribute: **Dark  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** ?  
**DEF:** ?

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except from your hand or deck during the End Phase of a turn where a "Dark Catalyst" Monster is destroyed by battle after its ATK is reduced from its base value. The ATK of this card when summoned is equal to the Battle Damage you took when the "Dark Catalyst" Monster used to summon this card was destroyed. If this card destroys an opposing Monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, increase the ATK and DEF of this card by the base ATK of the destroyed Monster. If this card is the only Monster you control, it cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**D.D. BLASTER (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image: **D.D. Warrior Lady down on one knee in front of the Different Dimension Gate, holding the Buster Rancher.

**Card Description: **Upon activation, this card Equips to a face-up Monster you control as an Equip Spell. If the Equipped Monster is removed from play via a card effect controlled by your opponent, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the Equipped Monster.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DEACTIVATE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** Cliff the Trap Remover in front of the trapped treasure box from "Reckless Greed", carefully using twine to secure the trap door closed.

**Card Description: **Return all face-up Spell and Trap Cards on the field to set position. Cards set in this manner cannot be activated this turn. Then, either destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card you control (except this one), or take 1,000 points of damage.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**BURIED TREASURE (Trap Card)**

**Normal Trap**

**Image:** A gang of pirates digging up a treasure chest.

**Card Description:**You can activate the effect of this card when it is in your Graveyard, and at least ten cards are on top of it in your Graveyard pile. Remove this card from play. Then, both players draw two cards from their decks.

_Note: This is a Trap version of a card that first appeared in "The Legend of the Sorcerer Kings"._

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**SACRED KNIGHT ROWEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Synchro/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 8  
**ATK:** 2,300  
**DEF:** 1,500

**Card Description: **_"Pious Warrior Rowen" + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters_

This card cannot be Summoned except via Synchro Summon. Battle Damage to the controller of this card due to battles involving this card is reduced to zero. When this card is destroyed by battle by a DARK Monster, you may pay half your Life Points to Special Summon one "Divine Paladin Rowen" from your hand, deck, or Graveyard.

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**DIVINE PALADIN ROWEN (Monster Card)**

**Card Specs**

**Type:** Warrior/Effect  
**Attribute: **Light  
**Level:** 10  
**ATK:** 0  
**DEF:** 0

**Card Description: **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except via the effect of "Sacred Knight Rowen". When this card is successfully Summoned, select one face-up DARK Monster and remove it from play. This card gains ATK equal to the ATK of the removed DARK Monster. At the End Phase of the turn where this card is Summoned, remove it from play.

**0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**Epilogue**

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

**0 0 0 0 0**

As the morning sun rose, the Temple of All-Consumption slowly fell apart, its buttresses and columns crashing into Lake Michigan.

Meanwhile, on the shore, the Shadowchasers were working hard hauling the defeated members of the cult away.

"This isn't over!" screamed Panik, as he and Roxy were led past Jalal in handcuffs. "The Order of the Dark God will rise again! Soon, you'll all know the meaning of true fear!"

"Oh, Panik, shut up!" shouted Roxy. "Do us all a favor and start taking advantage of your right to remain silent!"

Jalal's cell phone rang, and he answered it.

"Yeah?" he said.

"Uh-huh? Right…"

He hung up, and turned to Dugan, Nichole, and Karl, who were sitting wrapped in blankets and drinking coffee.

"Good news, bad news, people…" he said. "That was the infirmary. Tiberius and Lorelei have just had their conditions upgraded to 'stable'."

"And the bad news?" asked Dugan.

"That _is _the bad news," replied Jalal. "To say I'm not looking forward to their trials is an understatement…"

He turned to Graves, who was also sitting drinking coffee.

"The big question is," he said, "what do we do with him?"

Nichole sighed.

"Boss, the lawman in me says that he could be charged with withholding evidence…" she said, "maybe… But the one inside me who says that justice must be tempered with mercy says that he's been through enough."

Then Graves got up, and walked over to them.

"Mr. Stormbringer," he said. "I'm willing to testify in any case where I am needed. I know much about the goings-on in this organization."

"Agreed," said Jalal. "We'll arrange for you to make a formal statement…"

They watched as the last of the Temple finally sank beneath the waves. Nichole stood up and sighed.

Then one last portal slowly started to appear.

"Here comes one more!" shouted someone.

Every Shadowchaser stood ready, pointing their weapons at it.

Slowly, a familiar face emerged.

"BEN!" shouted Nichole, as Leorin stepped out.

She was so overjoyed to see him, she didn't realize that she had mistakenly called him by the name that Dugan had given him when she had met him at the penthouse. His armor was now gone… He was again wearing the sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. He had two black eyes and a fat lip, but he seemed okay otherwise.

The Duel Disk was gone…

She rushed to him.

"Easy, Nichole," he said. "If you're going to hug me, please be gentle…"

She slowed down. She gently hugged him.

"The Mace of St. Cuthbert…" she said. "Where is it?"

Ben sighed and smiled.

"I don't have it any more, Nichole…" he said.

He looked towards the sun.

"When a god grants a mortal access to an artifact, it's always a temporary arrangement. Once it's no longer needed, the artifact leaves… It goes away, until the god decides that some other mortal needs it."

"So… It's no longer needed?" asked Dugan. "It fulfilled its purpose?"

Leorin smiled. He nodded.

"Uhm, Ben…" said Jalal. "I mean, Leorin… What happened to Lareth the Beautiful?"

Ben sighed.

He reached into his pocket and took out the Talisman of Pure Good. He looked at it.

"He's no longer in your jurisdiction," he said.

"Here, Jalal, I want you to hold onto this."

He tossed the Talisman to the leader of the Shadowchasers, who caught it.

"It's got one charge left…" said Leorin. "Only one… I'm sure someone in your organization can use it. Heck, it might be useful when you go after the Triad… They're still out there, and Tharizdun will always be a threat…

"As for me…"

He looked at Dugan, Karl, and Nichole.

"You three… You took me in… You might as well have been my family for these past few weeks… I had been a lone wolf for countless lives… But for this last one, you made all the difference.

"Somehow, a 'thank you' doesn't seem nearly enough…"

"You're talking like you're leaving…" said Karl.

"I am…" said Leorin, looking down. "My curse is lifted… I have some serious thinking to do…

"With my morality back, this is my final life…"

He turned to the lake, and sighed.

"…and frankly, that last duel was one of a thousand memories that I'd just as soon forget… As for what happens now, I have some ideas, but I still have some decisions to make…

"Like I said, a 'thank you' is hardly enough… But… Thank you…"

He turned, and started walking down the beach…

"Leorin…" said Nichole, as if she was about to run after him.

Then Jalal put his hand on her shoulder.

"Let him go, Nichole…" said Jalal. "If there's one thing I've learned in this long life of mine, it's that people have free wills…

"They have to be allowed to shape their own destinies…"

Nichole felt like crying as she watched Leorin disappear down the road, but she knew that Jalal was right…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

Meanwhile, the Triad were sitting on their thrones in silence.

The First was the one to break the silence.

"I hope we never go through that again," he said.

"_Our god appointing an avatar, and then him being soundly defeated?" _asked the Second.

The First and the Third looked at the aboleth.

"No," said the First, annoyed. "The War of 1812…"

He sighed.

"Hape and the Dread Emperor warned us about the Shadowchasers' house guest… But we were so enthralled by the boost of power that those Dark Forge cards were sending to our god, that we disregarded Hape's words…

"We continued to concentrate too much on the Shadowchasers, never realizing that the Dark Forge cards were simply giving him a sugar rush, and we were ignoring the true threat…

"It's never the person you most expect…"

"Actually," said the Third, "nine times out of ten, it is. This was one of the rare tenth times."

The First sighed.

"Our plans to negotiate with Demogorgon will have to be put on the back burner," he said, "and our god will take some time to recover after losing his avatar…

"Still… If he has learned one thing after being imprisoned so long, it is patience… We certainly won't be going anywhere…

"Whether it is a month from now… Whether it is a hundred years from now… The Order of Tharizdun will someday realize its goal…"

There was a long pause.

"_You realize that one of us is going to have to go tell __Mydianchlarus that he brought his army to the Darkfell for nothing," _added the Second.

"Let's wait a few days," said the Third. "Wait until they're low on supplies and the troops are getting angry and restless from waiting for the order to come. Then we'll tell him. The chance of him turning his army on us won't be as likely then."

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_In the months that followed, Nichole's brother would win parole. With the help of St. Cuthbert's House, he'd find an honest job at a chemical plant that was known for hiring ex-cons. Jalal was even kind enough to pay a hobgoblin shaman to cast the cosmetic spell needed to remove the unsightly tattoo on his arm. The shaman's fee was considerably less than that of a plastic surgeon._

_Karl would enter the University of Chicago, to major in Computer Science. As a result, his status in the Shadowchasers was temporarily reduced from active member to reserve member. He hoped that with further education, he would return to the team and evolve from Shadowjack to full-fledged Techno-Mage. _

_As a result of this, Dugan would take on yet another apprentice to fill the void left by Karl's absence. _

_Lorelei tried hard to plea bargain at her trial. Her insanity plea was rejected early, due to the very stringent guidelines on such a plea in Shadowchasers courts; the plot seemed far too well thought-out for her to be considered not in control of her actions. Eventually, the judge, who was known for being creative, ruled that he would throw out the option for the death penalty only if she would plead guilty to all counts, AND as a punishment, accept the curse that she had repeatedly inflicted upon so many victims in her career as a Doomdreamer. Desperate to save her hide, she agreed. A powerful Incantifer was called in to transform her into a cat, after which she was resigned to a specially-built cell in the maximum-security section of the penitentiary, which would be her final home. _

_Tiberius didn't have as much luck. Maximillion Galti was quick to inform him that he was fired and that the TRUE lawyers would not represent him. After he had fired five court-appointed lawyers and had been held in contempt three times, he was convicted. He is now awaiting sentencing, and prosecutors intend to pursue the death penalty. Two of the lawyers who tried to represent him had few kind words for him, one of them saying publically that he was "a sorry excuse for a human being", the other calling him "a waste of carbon". _

_Galti cooperated fully with the authorities, and was never charged. He quickly set up a fund to help the victims of the Cult of Tharizdun. As a result, TRUE entered an unofficial alliance with the Shadowchasers, despite the fact that Galti was not Aware. _

_Madame Xane was not seen again. Inquiries to other Incantifers and leaders of St. Cuthbert's House turned up nothing about her origins. Whatever her motivations or intentions, they likely will never be known. _

_The Temple of All-Consumption would be etched in the minds of the people of Chicago for many years, possibly for the rest of the city's existence. On clear summer days, boats that sailed close to the spot where it had risen could see the ruins of the Temple under the crystal-clear waters of Lake Michigan. But not even the bravest of treasure hunters dared to dive to those ruins to try to salvage whatever the Doomdreamers had hidden within its dark chambers. _

_And Leorin? Nothing was heard from him, until three months after the he parted company with his three allies…_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

In the wilderness of the Yukon Territory, a very large building stood. It looked like a house made of logs, but it had clearly been built for creatures much bigger than humans…

And it was being consumed by an inferno of flames. The large log building was a deathtrap of fire, sending plumes of smoke into the sky.

In front of the doomed structure were the dead bodies of twelve hill giants, their skin burned and their clubs smashed. A thirteenth body was that of a gnoll, dressed as a shaman.

And standing over the shaman was the man who had caused this massacre. The Dread Emperor. Four new children, replacements for the ones he had lost when he had confronted Leorin, were chained to his belt. (He knew where to get more.)

He bent over the dead shaman's body and took a scroll tube off the shaman's belt. He took out the contents and read.

A look of anger crossed his face. Then he tore the scroll up.

"Curses!" he shouted. "This is worthless! This whole trip has been a waste of time!"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," said a voice behind him.

The Dread Emperor turned around slightly, and saw Leorin.

Leorin was dressed in plate armor, held a mace and a shield, and wore an amulet set with a shining emerald.

"YOU!" shouted the fiend.

"Time to give the devil his due!" shouted Leorin.

He leapt at the Dread Emperor, holding his mace high…

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

What would be the outcome of this battle? Anyone who knew anything about the Dread Emperor would have thought that a frontal attack against him would be suicide… But Leorin's assault wasn't as foolish as it might have looked.

His amulet was an Amulet of Absorption, which would protect him from the Dread Emperor's first five spells. And his Mace of Disruption could knock the evil wizard out…

_Assuming _he could hit him. Leorin's chances of success thus hinged on whether he could do so before the Dread Emperor managed a sixth spell.

The biggest unknown variable was how much protective magic the Dread Emperor had cast on himself, and how much of it – if any – had been exhausted in the fight with the giants. Had the Dread Emperor expected a lot of trouble from the giants? If the answer was "no", Leorin's chances were actually pretty good.

The reader can draw his or her own conclusions. It really didn't matter to Leorin. Whatever the outcome of this battle, it was a win-win situation for him.

If he slew the Dread Emperor, all the better. The Dread Emperor was a vile murderer, and his defeat would rid the world of a dangerous threat.

And if Leorin failed?

He would finally be at peace…

His Torment would be over…

And his spirit would finally be allowed into the Basilica of St. Cuthbert, where he knew that Rowen's warm embrace would be there to welcome his…

_**- Finis -**_

**0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0**

_Thank you one and all for reading "Shadowchasers Torment". It is with sad and sorry heart that I once again must part company with a group of characters that I have grown so fond of, but once again, I must move on. _

_Fear not, for not one, but two Shadowchasers projects are in the works. _

_The first one is a short fic (ten chapters at most, I predict) that ties up a loose end left in "Power Primordial" and features Jalal Stormbringer as the star! Be here for "Shadowchasers: Soulscape" in just a few weeks._

_After that, my next major project will get underway…_

_Boston is a quiet town, and the Shadowkind activity had never been too intense there. So why has it always housed a full team of Shadowchasers that have often consisted of some of the best members the organization has to offer? Coming in December, "Shadowchasers: Ascension" will start a new legend. _

_Be here._


End file.
